In commemoration of the 71st Anniversary of the United Nations, the Oneness Family School in Washington DC, brought together diplomats and officials representing over 70 countries around the world in a flag-bearing ceremony themed “Education Goes International” on October 21, 2016.

Mr. David Adjaye, a Ghanaian architect and lead designer of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, located on the National Mall in Washington DC, on Friday, October 7, 2016 paid a courtesy call on Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency, Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith at the Chancery.

Welcoming Mr. Adjaye to the Embassy, Ambassador Smith praised his exceptional qualities as an architect and as a worthy ambassador of the great country Ghana.

His Excellency, Mohamedoun Daddah, the new Ambassador designate of Mauritania to the United States of America, today, June 30, 2016 called on Ghana’s Ambassador to United States, His Excellency, Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd).

Last Saturday, June 11, 2016, at the Golden Theater in Broadway, New York, a true daughter of Ghana, Ms. Akosua Busia, made Ghanaians proud with her performance in Eclipsed, a Tony awards Nominated play.

The story line of Eclipsed has it that amid the chaos of the Liberian Civil War, captive wives of a rebel officer, band together to form a fragile society, until their lives was disturbed by the arrival of the rebel officer’s new wife.

Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire have renewed their commitment to have an amicable solution to their maritime dispute. Presidents John Dramani Mahama and Alhassane Ouattara made the commitment during bilateral talks in Abidjan yesterday.

Ambassador of Niger, Her Excellency Hassana Alidou on Tuesday May 31, 2016 paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA).

The two Ambassadors discussed matters of mutual interest to the two countries, especially the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

His Excellency, Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States has been paying courtesy calls on his colleague Ambassadors to discuss matters of mutual interest between Ghana and her neighbours and developments on the African continent.

Peace and stability, the two most important essentials every investor look out for is what Ghana is offering investors who are contemplating investing in Africa; His Excellency, Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States assured Business Executives and Investors in New York on Saturday, May 21, 2016.

In a report authored by Elisa Parisi-Capone, Moody’s Vice President – Senior Analyst, and copied to ghanabusinessnews.com, Moody’s said in addition to broadly meeting the performance criteria under its $918 million three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme, the year-end 2015 fiscal deficit of 6.7 per cent of GDP in cash terms surpassed the budgeted 7.0 per cent target and marked a significant improvement from the 9.4 per cent deficit reported in 2014, and the country’s fiscal consolidation efforts included larger-than-expected arrear repayments.

The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has observed that business confidence among corporate leaders in the country in the first-quarter of 2016 has increased from that of the fourth-quarter of 2015.

The AGI in its 2016 first-quarter Business Barometer report revealed that business confidence increased from the 95.9 points recorded in the fourth-quarter of 2015 to 101.9 points in the first-quarter of 2016.

The Bank of Ghana has opted to stay its policy rate at 26 per cent, after its 70th monetary policy meeting, citing easing inflation, stability of the Cedi and a pick-up in economic activity.

“In assessing the current economic conditions, the Committee views the risks to inflation and growth as balanced and therefore decided to maintain the monetary policy rate at 26 per cent,” Dr Abdul-Nashiru Issahaku, Governor of the Bank of Ghana told journalists at his first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) press conference since becoming governor .

Ghanaians continue to make incursions into America’s inventors hall of fame as Victor B. Lawrence Ph.D, Associate Dean and Batchelor Chair Professor of Stevens Institute of Technology, was adopted into the American National Inventors Hall of Fame at the 44th induction ceremony held last Thursday, May 5, 2016 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC.

Ghana’s 59th Independence anniversary celebration this year was climaxed with a non-denomination church service on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at the Auditorium of the Ghana Embassy.

As part of the Church service, an interim management committee of the Council of Ghanaian Interfaith Alliance was inaugurated and mandated to build a coherent and united Ghanaian Community which would hold in high esteem the spirit of patriotism, cultural values and morality.

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday said preparations towards ensuring a credible, acceptable and violence-free Election 2016 was on cause.

The Commission said it had accepted and implemented some of the recommendations that were made after the Supreme Court ruling on the 2012 Presidential election towards reviewing some aspects of the electoral process, while others were still under discussion.

Ghanaians in the United States of America (USA), marked Ghana’s 59th Independence anniversary on Friday, March 4, 2016 under the theme “Investing In The Youth For Ghana’s Transformation” with a cocktail reception attended by officials of the US government, Diplomats and a host of people including Ghanaian nationals

The celebration was climaxed with an interfaith (non-denominational) Church service held on Sunday, March 6, 2016.

The Ghana Mission in Washington DC on Thursday, February 25, 2016 held an Interactive Engagement with Stakeholders on the theme, “Strengthening Collaboration For Sustainable Development …2016 Stakeholder Engagement”.

The objective of the engagement was to forge a closer partnership and provide a sustainable link between the Mission and various development partners within the United States government system.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ghana, in pursuit of promoting Ghanaian Businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, is introducing its website, www.ghanatrade.gov.gh to the Diaspora Business community and investors.

IN VIEW OF THE MANY CONCERNS, THE EMBASSY CONTINUES TO RECEIVE IN RESPECT OF THE ACQUISITION OF MACHINE READABLE PASSPORTS, WE REPRODUCE BELOW A COMMUNICATION ISSUED ON THE SUBJECT BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION, FOR THE INFORMATION OF OUR CHERISHED COMPATRIOTS:

Government has introduced a new Teacher Professional Development programme to enhance the skills of teachers at the basic level across the country.

President John Dramani Mahama, who announced this on Thursday when he presented his fourth State of the Nation's address to 6th Parliament of Ghana, added that 54,800 children in 4 regions have been enrolled into schools under the Compulsory Education program.

Accra, Feb 17, GNA - The Minister of Communications, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has told the management and staff of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), to rely on each other and pull together individual strengths to deliver the organisation’s mandate.

President John Dramani Mahama and his Iranian Counterpart, Dr. Hassan Rouhani over the weekends addressed a press conference at the Sa'd Abad Palace in Tehran after a closed door meeting and bilateral talks.

The Second Lady, Her Excellency, Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur, wife of His Excellency, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, arrived in Washington DC on Tuesday February 2, 2016 to attend the 64th Annual National Prayer Breakfast meeting.

His Excellency, Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States on Wednesday, January 27, 2016, asked staff of the Mission to work together as one big family to achieve targets set by the Mission for the year 2016.

Accra, Jan. 12, GNA - President Mahama on Tuesday said government had initiated measures to restructure the Electricity Company of Ghana and to plug the loopholes that have over the years created financial loss to the company.

The restructuring of the company, the President cautioned, should not be misconstrued as privatization.

The Accra Regional Police Commander, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, yesterday met representatives of registered political parties to discuss how the upcoming elections could be held without a breach of the peace of the nation.

Organised labour, Ghana Employers Association (GEA) and Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) will today meet the government over the upward adjustment in fuel prices, as well as water and electricity tariffs.

The announcement of increases in electricity and water tariffs to 59.2 per cent and 67.2 per cent respectively by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), took effect on December 14, 2015, while the 25 per cent fuel increases became effective yesterday.

Accra, Jan. 14, GNA - The December year-on-year inflation rate remained at 17 per cent, same recorded in November.

Third Ghana Economic Outlook and Business Strategy conference launched

Accra, Jan 14, GNA - The Africa Business Media (ABM), publishers of the Ghana Business and Finance Magazine, in collaboration with the Private Enterprises Federation, launched the third edition of the Ghana Economic Outlook and Business Strategy conference.

We are happy to announce that Cumbancha artist Rocky Dawuni's latest album, Branches of the Same Tree, has just been nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Reggae Album category. Dawuni, the only non-Jamaican artist in the running this year and the first Ghanaian to be nominated, is up against some of the heavyweights of modern reggae with his Billboard Top 10 album.

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), has addressed the Ghana Houston Chamber of Commerce (GHCC) in Houston, Texas last week Thursday, November 19, 2015 and assured members that Ghana has enjoyed peace, stability and security for the past twenty five (25) years and gone through six major elections peacefully and changed governments smoothly.

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), has assured US investors that their investment in Ghana is safe because the country has enjoyed peace, stability and security for the past twenty five (25) years and gone through six major elections peacefully and changed governments smoothly.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Seth Terkper, has stated that the government is committed to staying within its revenue limits and would discipline itself against overspending in 2016, which is an election year.

Accra, Nov. 13, GNA – Mr Seth Terkper, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning on Friday on the authority of President John Dramani Mahama, moved Parliament to approve the Financial Policy of the Government for the year ending December 31, 2016.

Accra, Nov.13, GNA - The agriculture sector is expected to record a growth rate of 0.04 per cent signifying a down turn from the revised target of 3.6 per cent, Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Mr Seth Terkper told parliament on Friday.

Accra, Nov. 13, GNA - The International Monetary Fund’s October 2015 World Economic Outlook (WEO), recorded 2.9 per cent global growth in the first half of 2015, 0.3 percentage point lower than projected in April of this year.

The implementation of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Reporting System (PAARS) by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has received praise from importers and clearing agents across the country.

PAARS is a modernized system that has been developed by the Customs Division of GRA as part of the implementation of the National Single Window system to enhance revenue mobilization, improve border security and customs clearance, overcome duplication across regulatory agencies and promote trade facilitation.

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has commended the Electoral Commission (EC) for accepting its proposal for Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections to be held on November 7.

A statement signed by the Executive Director of the IEA, Dr Jean Mensa, said the proposal was born out of work undertaken by the IEA Ghana Political Parties Program in 2007 towards the preparation of a Presidential Transition Bill.

President John Dramani Mahama has urged ECOWAS member states to adopt elements of good governance in leveraging their mineral and petroleum potential, to maximise their contribution to sustainable development.

Mr Philip Liverpool, Commercial Director for Kosmos Energy, has noted the need for the sustenance of the country’s domestic gas production through existing discoveries, new exploration and reliable imports.

He said it is paramount to support economic growth and prosperity.

He called for a multi-tier approach to meeting the country’s power demand underpinned by a progressive business growth agenda that incentivizes gas exploration.

West African countries must make concerted efforts to accelerate the pace of development, Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the Minister of Petroleum has said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the maiden ECOWAS Mining and Petroleum Forum and Exhibition (ECOMOF), Mr Buah said there is the need for the development of a sub-regional agenda for maximising value from the exploitation of minerals, oil and gas resources.

Ghana has made a commitment to enhance women’s access to economic opportunities and their active involvement in economic growth and development. Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection Hon Nana Oye Lithur made the commitment at a side event of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

President John Dramani Mahama today, September 25, 2015, joined other world leaders from more than 100 countries to commit to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that are replacing the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 25 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Leaders from nearly 200 nations were poised on Friday to adopt a sweeping plank of global goals to combat poverty, inequality and climate change in the most comprehensive effort ever by the United Nations to tackle the world's ills.

The Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Georgina Theodora Wood is appealing to the public to still have confidence in the judiciary after the infamous Anas Aremeyaw Anas video exposed how some judges and judicial service staff took bribes and subverted justice.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) — The President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, will visit UC Riverside to make a free, public address Friday, Oct. 2 at the University Theatre. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event begins at 6 p.m.

After four years of preparatory and construction work on the onshore gas processing plant, Ghana officially joined the comity of gas processing countries yesterday when President John Dramani Mahama inaugurated the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant operated by the Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas).

President John Dramani Mahama, on Wednesday, inaugurated the National Medical Outreach Services at the Western Naval Command in Sekondi, announcing that government has invested more than $1 billion to improve health facilities over the past five years.

The President of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), Mrs Lordina Mahama, has pledged to work very hard to improve upon the gains of OAFLA and achieve more under her tenure.

The UNAIDS Representative to the African Union (AU) and Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mrs Rosemary Museminali, on Monday, September 14 commended the First Lady, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, for setting priorities for the welfare of women and children on the continent.

Abuja - Nigerian President Muhammad Buhari arrives in Accra, Ghana today August 7, 2015 to discuss regional security with his Ghanaian counterpart, President John Dramani Mahama, his office said in a statement.

The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has issued half of the $100-million guarantee required to provide financial security for two emergency power barges to be dispatched from Turkey to the country next month.

The Special Operations Unit (SoU) of the Office of the President has issued demand notices to 91 companies and clearing agents to recover about GH¢14 billion owed the state through fraudulent business activities in 2014.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday, August 31, 2015 completed the first review of Ghana’s economic performance under the program supported by an Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement.1 Completion of the review enables the disbursement of SDR 83.025 million (about US$116.6 million), bringing total disbursements under the arrangement to SDR 166.05 million (about US$233.1 million).

ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana's Cocobod has paid back a $1.7 billion loan it received from international lenders last year, its spokesman said on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 putting to rest fears of default by the regulator due to this year's dismal harvest.

Noah Amenyah, head of public affairs, said Cocobod retired the loan before the deadline last week.

The government has presented new conditions of service proposal to the striking members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) to serve as a guide to the ongoing negotiations between the two parties in the labour dispute.

ACCRA, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Ghana's economy needs to expand by more than eight percent a year to create jobs for its growing population, its president said on Wednesday, a tough challenge for a country battling a fiscal crisis and weaker prices for its commodity exports.

Public sector workers who absent themselves from work this month risk losing their salaries at the end of the month.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, it was spelt out in the Labour Law that workers on illegal strike risked forfeiting their salaries during the period of the strike.

South African Airways, on Monday, August 4, 2015 lunched its maiden flight from Accra with the landing of its plane at the Dulles International Airport.

The plane was greeted on arrival in Washington, DC by officials of the South African Airways, the South African Embassy and the Ghana Embassy all in Washington, DC and some members of the African Diaspora.

Ghana’s economy is in crisis with a total public debt of GH¢89.5 billion, that is 67.1 per cent of GDP. The external debt stands at GH¢53.8 billion and the domestic debt is GH¢35.7 billion, but the country is not on a debt meltdown like Greece, Santiago Herrela, the World Bank’s Lead Economist for Ghana has told journalists.

Ekumfi. Aug.1,GNA -- The newly constructed community Senior High School at Ekumfi Otuam in the Central Region would be named after the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Deputy Minister of Local Government ad Rural Development, Nii Lamptey Vanderpuye has disclosed.

The school, expected to be commissioned and handed over to the Government before the beginning of the next academic year, would be called “Atta Mills Memorial Senior High School (SHS)”.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper, yesterday launched the 2015 edition of the National Farmers’ Day in Accra, with a call for more investment in the agriculture sector to transform the country’s rural economies and halt the rural-urban migration.

He said the transformation that was so much desired by the Ghanaian economy could only be attained through a well-coordinated strategic investment into the agriculture sector.

The Government has declared the current withdrawal of services by the country’s medical doctors as illegal and has, therefore, called on them to return to work.

A statement signed by Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister For Employment & Labour Relations and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) reiterated the Government’s commitment to the creation of a conducive working environment for all public sector workers.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has commended the Ghanaian Diaspora for their initiative of promoting Ghana’s Tourism and Culture potential abroad.

Mrs. Ofosu-Adjare, who was the Guest of Honour at this year’s Ghana Festival, dubbed “GhanaFest”, held on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at the Washington Park in Chicago, Illinois, said it was because of the increase in Tourists visiting Ghana that the Ministry has initiated a number of projects to develop and market the country’s tourism potentials to attract more investments.

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), has noted, that there is no denying the fact that in an era of globalisation and heightened competitiveness in the pursuit of national interests, no nation can develop effectively without a clear strategy to harness the potentials of its human resource, including its Diaspora and those who consider Ghana as their homeland.

His Excellency, Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, at a meeting with leaders of the Ghanaian Community in Chicago last Friday, July 10, 2015, emphasised the importance of the Ghanaian Diaspora and their potential in nation building.

The Embassy of Ghana, Washington DC, in response to appeals for relief assistance for the June 3, 2015 Accra floods/fire disaster victims in Ghana, is partnering various well-meaning Diaspora organisations to solicit both material and monetary support from well-meaning members of the Ghanaian Community and American public to compliment the recovery efforts of the government of Ghana towards victims of the disaster.

His Excellency, Lt. Gen. Joseph H. Smith (Rtd.) on Thursday, 25th June, 2015 presented his Letters of Credence concurrently accrediting him as Ghana’s High Commissioner to The Commonwealth of The Bahamas to Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, the Governor-General.

His Excellency, Lt Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), has observed that in spite of the heavy burden of sickle cell disease on public health in Africa, the disease has not received the attention it deserves in public health programming and resource allocation.

Charlotte Osei has been sworn in as the new Electoral Commissioner, promising to push through electoral reforms needed to deepen the credibility of Ghana’s electoral process.

At a brief swearing-in ceremony at the Flagstaff House Tuesday morning, Charlotte Osei took the oath of office as the new Electoral Commissioner who replaces Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan - a constant fixture in Ghana's elections for decades until his retirement this June.

The government inched closer to the establishment of an export-import (EXIM) bank in the country when a task force set up to work on the modalities presented its report to President John Dramani Mahama at the Flagstaff House yesterday.

Ghana is likely to clear the first review of its $918 million programme with the International Monetary Fund and secure a fresh disbursement of funds aimed at stabilising its economy, sources close to the deal said on Monday.

The Chief Executives of the National Health Insurance Authourity (NHIA), National Pensions Regulatory Authourity (NPRA) and the National Identification Authourity (NIA) have all been relieved of their positions.

About 400, 000 day students in public Senior High Schools in the country are to benefit from the free education programme, beginning September 2015, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the Minister of Education has announced.

The move, she said was in line with the Constitutional provision which required the government to ensure progressively free secondary education to Ghanaians.

Ghanaian churches throughout the United States of America (USA), under the auspices of the Ghana Embassy and the Council of Ghanaian Interfaith Alliance (COGIA), on Sunday, June 14, 2015 held an Intercessory prayers for victims of June 3, 2015 Accra floods and fire disaster.

The Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C. wish to announce that as a result of the recent loss of human lives and property in Accra due to the heavy downpour and the fire incident at the Goil filling station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, a book of condolence will be opened at the Chancery, 3512 International Dr, N.W., Washington D.C., 20008. The times are as follows:

The Embassy of Ghana, Washington DC (USA), in conjunction with the Council of Ghanaian Interfaith Alliance (COGIA) is asking all Ghanaian Churches in the USA to pray for Wednesday, June 3, 2015 fire explosion and flood victims of Accra on Sunday, June 14, 2015.

A press release issued by the Mission also asked all Ghanaian Muslims in the US to also pray on Friday, June 12, 2015 for the victims.

Accra, Wednesday June 10 -- Ghana`s President John Dramani Mahama called for national unity on Wednesday as he led a memorial service for more than 150 people killed in a petrol station fire and heavy flooding.

"There is plenty of blame to go around... We should invest our time in taking appropriate strategy to prevent (a) future occurrence," he said during the two-hour, multi-faith ceremony.

Accra, June 10, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday said government had given an authorization for DNA test to be conducted on bodies of the June 3, twin-tragedy victims that have not been identified.

He said it was only after that conduct that charred bodies that were beyond recognition could be identified for the necessary procedures to follow.

Goil Company Limited has donated GHC560,000 towards the National Disaster Fund.

In a statement , the company said “the Board, Management and Staff of Goil have made a donation of GHC560,000 to the National Disaster Fund, including a total of GHC60,000, towards the medical care of the affected individuals on admission at the 37 Military Hospital, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and the Police Hospital.

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the government would soon absorb the only five private University Colleges of Education into public institutions.

He said he had also authorized the Ghana Education Trust Fund to prioritise the development of infrastructure in all the Colleges of Education throughout the country to enable them to admit more trainees.

Dr Edward Omani Boamah, Minister of Communications, on Monday charged sub-region telecommunications regulators to set reliable stands that might reflect requirements and the needs of the sub- region and the countries where they operate.

He said customers have become very sophisticated and more interested in the kind of experience they receive upon using a service and not the network performance or functionality which might affect their experience.

The Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C. wish to announce that as a result of the recent loss of human lives and property in Accra due to the heavy downpour and the fire incident at the Goil filling station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, it is, in collaboration with the leadership of the Ghanaian Associations and Clergy, coordinating all efforts to assist and support the victims of the disaster.

President John Mahama has reiterated government’s commitment to establishing a new university in the Eastern region saying the university will help tackle some of the climate change challenges facing the nation.

Over 150 people lost their lives after torrential rain on Wednesday flooded the capital Accra and also sparked a fire at the GOIL fuel station.

The United Nations Office in Ghana has expressed its readiness to help and support the coordinated efforts of government to solve the perennial floods in the capital.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Ms Christine Evans-Klock, declared: "We are prepared to work with other stakeholders to achieve that goal", when with the Deputy National Coordinator of NADMO, Mr Ebenezer Dosso, she toured the disaster-hit areas in Accra, including the GOIL filling Station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and some residential areas.

The Vice President of the Republic, Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur; has announced that government will bear the full cost of all injured persons currently receiving treatment as a result of the floods and fire explosion of last Wednesday.

A memorial service to begin in the three days of national mourning for more than 150 people who died in last Wednesday’s floods and Goil filling station explosion has been held at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur accompanied by his wife Matilda, led the government delegation. Members of the diplomatic corps, heads of the security agencies, chairmen of NDC, PNC, and NPP, Kofi Portuphy, Ahmed Ramadan and Paul Afoko as well as the clergy were present.

Ghana requires some $15 billion over the next decade to plug a gap in its infrastructure, Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur said on Tuesday, after flooding in Accra last week exposed problems with creaking public services.

GHANA’S Vice-President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur says opening up procurement systems for public scrutiny is key in the battle against corruption.

Speaking in Cape Town at the World Economic Forum on Africa session on responding to Africa’s need to enforce transparency and accountability for regional governance, Vice-President Amissah-Arthur said there was need for public procurement systems to be more transparent and opened up for greater public scrutiny to tackle persistent corruption plaguing many African countries.

Mr Emmauel Armah Kofi- Buah, the Minister of Petroleum has said Government’s decision to deregulate the petroleum sector was to allow petroleum importers and marketers to reduce their price as well as pull in more private players into the sector.

ACCRA, June 4 (Reuters) - An explosion at a gas station in Ghana's capital killed at least 100 people late on Wednesday, many of whom had sought shelter there from torrential rain, a fire brigade spokesman said.

Ho, May 30, GNA – Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur, wife of the Vice-President at the weekend called on women to use their inborn qualities of piety to bring along Ghanaians as one people to tackle developmental and moral issues plaguing the society.

Mrs. Amissah-Arthur, who made the call at the opening ceremony of the fourth National Women’s Convention of the Global Evangelical Church, (GEC) at Wumenu, in the Adaklu District of the Volta Region, said there is too much polarisation in the country.

Accra, May 28, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday joined hundreds of mourners who thronged the premises of the State House to pay their last respect to Mrs Theodosia Salome Abenaki Kumea Okoh, designer of the national flag.

Also at the funeral were; Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, former President Jerry John Rawlings and his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings.

Abidjan, May 26, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has urged African governments to confront head-on the problem of youth unemployment, which he said has the potential to cause mass social unrest and agitation on the continent.

According to him, the issue of youth unemployment is getting worse with each passing year and remains a blot on the conscience of African governments in the midst of economic achievements.

Suhum (E/R), May 27, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday said the ruling National Democratic Congress, is making the biggest investment in roads construction in the history of the country.

He said his administration is sinking a total of $1 billion in the road sector, adding that this includes all the cocoa roads.

Accra, May 27, GNA - The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), has launched its national stakeholder engagement on the Voltaian Basin Project (VBP), ahead of commencing preliminary seismic work in the basin.

A statement by GNPC and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said Mr Ebenezer Apesegah, Manager- Geology, and member of the VBP team has already briefed participants on the scope of the project, processes involved and potential impact as well as mitigation options available to address them.

The National Child Health Coordinator of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Isabella Sagoe Moses, has revealed that government has adopted pragmatic health financing and implementation plan to bridge the funding gaps identified in the health sector.

Government is engaging development partners and other stakeholders on the health financing plans especially to deal with challenges relating to inflows into the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on Microsoft Corporation to support the government to provide ICT training to the physically challenged and women to enable them become more productive.

He said with the training the disable and women who could not previously participate fully in the economy as the labour force would have the opportunity to so.

President John Dramani Mahama has identified religious intolerance, economic disparity, gender discrimination, xenophobia, terrorism and hatred and fear as the new borders dividing the African continent.

He has, therefore, charged leaders to rise above those borders by erasing them completely.

President John Dramani Mahama has encouraged Africans to take advantage of modern technology to better tell the story of the continent.

"We must insist on being the experts of our own experiences, on telling our own stories of the Africa we know. We must continue to take to facebook, twitter and Instagram, we must continue to post, share, pin and blog about all our victories, whether large or small, personal or political," he said.

Ghana's First Lady, Nana Lordina Dramani Mahama was on Saturday, May 16, 2015 honoured by Fordham University, one of United States of America’s prestigious educational institutions.

The University conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters on Her Excellency Nana Lordina Dramani Mahama in recognition of her prominent efforts to aid the most vulnerable citizens and help women and girls advance in the Ghanaian society.

A statement issued by the WHO and copied to the Ghana News Agency by Margaret Harris, WHO Communications Officer said: “Forty-two days have passed since the last laboratory-confirmed case was buried on March 28. The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia is over.”

President John Mahama has directed that anyone found to have fixed nonexistent [ghost] names in the public payroll be prosecuted.

“Some of the ghosts are real ghosts and occur inadvertently, but there are some of the ghosts who are man-made and they are intentionally resurrected on the payroll,” the President said at the opening of the 2nd national forum on the Single Spine Pay policy in Takoradi on Friday.

The First Lady of Ghana, Lordina Dramani Mahama, has encouraged Ghanaian mothers not to allow the exigencies of today’s busy world and challenging demands of work to discourage and push them to abandon their parenting role.

She said mothers should always make it a priority to “be there for their children.”

Accra, May 9, GNA - The European Union through its lending institution, the European Investment Bank (EIB), has provided 10 million Euros to UniBank Ghana to support private businesses across the country.

The EIB’s new lending agreement with UniBank Ghana is the third scheme to support investment in the country under an 80 million Euros credit facility launched in 2013 to improve access to finance by companies.

Koforidua, April 25, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama, has charged public servants to manage the public sector institutions with zeal and commitment as they would manage their father’s property to remove the inefficiency in that sector.

He said, the public service belonged to all Ghanaians and therefore it’s success and sustenance must engage the attention of all.

Accra, May 6, GNA - The Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is hosting a conference on; “The High Cost of credit Implications for Ghana and the Way Forward”.

The forum, which attracted key stakeholders from industry, the banking sector as well as policy makers, would provide a platform for participants to deliberate on the causes and effects of the high cost of lending and come up with recommendations and effective solutions to address the problem.

The European Union withheld a £135-million budget support to the West African country due to an alleged payroll scandal that hit the nation recently.

The UK-based Sunday Times newspaper recently reported that the EU’s anti-fraud agency is probing a mammoth corruption scandal running into several million pounds in Ghana, being aid package from the EU to support the country's budget among others.

Dr Edward Omane Boamah, the Minister of Communications has said government does not control the internet in Ghana.

This he said is because government is respecting all principles governing the operation of the internet and it is supporting the “Internet Communities to actively participate in discussion relating to the “security” of the internet.

The Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) has set pragmatic targets to dominate the downstream oil industry to ensure that Ghanaian oil marketing companies took control of the industry.

As part of the broad mechanism, GOIL has set up a GOENERGY Company Limited which is a Bulk Oil Distribution Company (BDC) with the objective of ensuring availability and stability of fuel supply in the country.

SEND-GHANA in partnership with the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) has called for a proactive contribution from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to complement government’s efforts in realising SADA’s mandate.

Karpowership, Turkish floating Powership Maker, says it would go all the way to ensure that Ghana overcomes the current electricity power challenges by building the infrastructure for its medium to long-term electricity supply needs.

Tema, April 14, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday gave the assurance that government would do everything under its purview to revive the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) to take its rightful position in the smelting of alumina in the country.

He said he had directed the Ministry of power to make available all excess power to VALCO as soon as the current challenges were stabilized.

Adansi, April 15, GNA - The Second Lady, Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur, has advised children in rural areas not to see themselves as disadvantaged, but rather take advantage of educational opportunities in their communities.

She said as future leaders, they must take their studies seriously since education is critical and key in nation-building.

Accra, April 9, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday repeated his call on the international development partners to write off the debts of the three most Ebola affected countries in West Africa.

He said apart from inflicting numerous health hazards on the countries; Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, their Gross Domestic Product had also been reduced by 4.6 percent.

Dormaa-Ahenkro, April. 8, GNA – Mrs. Lordina Mahama, First Lady, has appealed to queen-mothers to take active interest and commitment in promoting issues about education and health of women and children.

She said in demonstration to commitment of the welfare of women and children, the Lordina Foundation had trusted itself to creating awareness and raising funds to address challenging health issues such as breast and cervical cancer and had awarded scholarships to female students as the Foundation’s support in the educational sector and urged queenmothers to follow suit.

There are preparatory works ongoing at the Tema harbour toward receiving two power barges being imported from Turkey to supplant power production in Ghana, Deputy Minister of finance Cassiel Ato Forson has told Ultimate Breakfast Show host Prince Minkah.

Mr Forson said he is “aware that some preparatory works have just started at the dock in Tema, the fishing harbour where the ship is going to dock and they are going to erect the cables and sometimes do underground cables to evacuate the power to the national grid.”

His Excellency, Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Joseph Henry Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, on Thursday March 26, 2015 joined his colleague Ambassadors in Washington DC metropolis to sign a book of condolence opened at the Singapore Embassy following the passing of that country’s founding Leader, Lee Kuan Yew.

Accra, March 28, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday announced that Ghana and Brazil would soon establish a Joint Permanent Cooperation Committee that would enable them to have bilateral engagements in the socio-economic development of their countries.

He said the two countries had over the years engaged in so many collaborations and the formation of such a permanent committee would catapult their development and cooperation.

Accra, March 26, GNA - Professor Stehpen Adei, Former Rector of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, has entreated the Chief Justice to set up a special libel and slander court for aggrieved people to have their cases settled expeditiously.

Prof Adei said even though the country has appropriate penalties and remedies in the statute books, the need for the special court would expedite redress for victims of uncontrolled bad press, leading to responsible journalism.

Bamiakor, (WR), March 28, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama has said the Community Day Senior Schools that his administration is constructing would eventually be provided with boarding facilities.

He explained that the schools were interim provisions meant to absorb the numerous Junior High Schools graduates, who could not gain admission into the existing schools because of inadequate facilities.

Accra, March 21, GNA - President John Mahama has recomposed Cabinet, replacing the Ministry of Transport with the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, a communication to Parliament said on Friday.

Agogo (Ash), March 23, GNA – The Ministry of Education has warned that it would deal decisively with Heads of Senior High Schools (SHS), who disregarded its directive not to burden parents with unapproved fees.

Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, the Minister, said any such erring school head, would be appropriately sanctioned.

Accra, March 21, GNA - The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development on Friday laid a new Constitutional Instrument (CI) in Parliament, to guide the conduct of the district level elections, which is likely to be held in July.

The document, consistent with the 1992 Constitution, granting the rights for the conduct of and guidelines for the elections, has been branded CI 89.

Accra, March 20, GNA - Mr Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary General, has urged relatives of persons with disability to recognise the collective responsibility of such people with special needs in order for them to make valuable contributions to the shared future of the world.

The role of families is central to supporting persons with Down syndrome by promoting their equal status in society and empowering them to be their own advocates, he said in a statement ahead of the celebration of World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, 2015.

ACCRA, March 19 – GNA The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) are to meet next month to discuss SECURITY and terrorists issues facing the two sub-regions.

The high-level summit, which is scheduled to take place on April 7 in a Central African nation, will also deliberate on a framework for economic co-operation between the two sub-regional blocs.

His Excellency Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Joseph Henry Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America on Friday, March 6, 2015 said Ghana’s 58th Independence anniversary gives Ghanaians the chance to reflect on developments over the past years and cast their sights forward to anticipate future challenges and opportunities.

The Ambassador, who was speaking at the 58th independence anniversary of Ghana at the Chancery said one such area that the country would be examining as the country celebrate her independence was the bilateral relations between Ghana and the United States.

The Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper, will this morning present a revised budget statement to Parliament. This has become necessary partly because of the dramatic fall in the price of oil on the international Market.

President John Dramani Mahama has assured the business community that the current situation of power outages is a temporary one which will be resolved shortly.

He said steps are being initiated in collaboration with the World Bank and the United States government, to devise and execute energy sector reforms that will ensure that the unfortunate situation never arise again.

Accra, Feb. 28, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama is expected to address the 8th Pan African Congress (PAC), which is a historic gathering of the Global African Family from March 4th to 7th at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Accra, Feb. 28, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday appealed to the people of the Peki-Blengo traditional area to use peaceful and formalised ways in finding a successor to the late Deiga Kwadzo Dei XI in Peki Blengo.

There is now a growing tendency on the part of Ghanaian voters to vote on issues, programmes and the calibre of candidates, a far departure from the past when most electors voted based on the ethnicity, religion, region and familial affiliation of contestants, according to a recent Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) survey.

President John Dramani Mahama has expressed his intention to use dialogue to increase mutual understanding among political parties with the aim of improving relations for peaceful co-existence.

“To enhance rapprochement and political harmony, I will continue to dialogue and build bridges with the leadership and membership of other political parties,” President Mahama said in his third State of the Nation Address on Thursday.

Abidjan, Feb 26, GNA – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has praised Ghana for taking initiatives that would provide the necessary impetus for it to accede to the United Nations’ Conventions on Statelessness by 2016.

Abidjan, Feb 26, GNA – Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have adopted a declaration in the context of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) campaign to end statelessness within 10 years.

Accra, Feb. 26, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama has stated that as part of government's commitment to the vulnerable, over ten thousand senior citizens have been provided with free national health insurance subscription in Greater Accra, Central and Eastern Regions.

He said this on Thursday while delivering the state of the nation’s address in Accra.

Accra, Feb. 26, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday expressed government's determination to step up infrastructural development in the coming years.

"While we continue to build more hospitals and schools, other critical sectors such as water, roads, transport, ICT and Telecommunication sectors continue to engage our attention. Development of key infrastructure is not only for job creation but also for general socio-economic transformation."

Accra , Feb 26, GNA - Mr John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana, has assured the public that cabinet has approved supplementary measures to make adjustment to the 2015 budget due to the dramatic decline in crude oil prices.

He said this when he was delivering the state of the nations address at parliament on Thursday noting that Ghana stands to lose about seven hundred million dollars from oil exports if the price remains at current levels.

Accra, Feb. 26, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama, on Thursday, renewed the Government’s commitment to implement the Progressively Free Secondary Education Programme for Senior High School (SHS) in the 2015/2016 academic year, which starts in September.

He said 367,565 students are expected to benefit from the programme, which would abolish tuition fee for both day and boarding students in public schools but students would pay for boarding and feeding fees.

Accra, Feb. 26, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama has stated that as part of government's commitment to the vulnerable, over ten thousand senior citizens have been provided with free national health insurance subscription in Greater Accra, Central and Eastern Regions.

He said this on Thursday while delivering the state of the nation’s address in Accra.

Accra, Feb. 26, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama, on Thursday said Government would spend over three billion Ghana cedis on the health sector to confirm the notion that a good economy resided in a healthy populace.

In his State of the Nation Address, the President noted that the last few years, Government had pumped billions of Ghana cedis into the provision of modern hospitals and the upgrading of facilities to facilitate speedy healthcare delivery.

Accra, Feb. 25, GNA - The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Marrieta Brew Appiah-Oppong on Wednesday said the country was modernising its intellectual property regime to meet the needs of the current times.

She noted that intellectual property rights have been recognized as a powerful mechanism within the national economies and there was the need for Ghana to attach great importance to it.

The government has released GH¢25 million to the Ministry of Health for the purchase of drugs and equipment to replace the ones which were destroyed by fire at the Central Medical Stores in Tema last month.

The move is part of measures by the government to safeguard the health of the public and keep the health system running effectively.

The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, has expressed concern about the yearly ritual of reporting on malfeasance in public institutions by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) without the implementation of the recommendations.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Ekow Spio Gabrah, has appealed to entrepreneurs in the Western Region to take advantage of many resources available coupled with industrial free zones to expand their businesses.

He said the Region was the industrial powerhouse of the country in view of its natural resources and vital national installations such as the Aboadze Thermal Plant, Atuabo Gas Plant and Takoradi port that had created a conducive environment for business.

Ghana will receive two electricity generating vessels from Turkey in March next month to produce the equivalent of more than one fifth of Ghana's energy power. The two temporal power stations will operate from Tema and Takoradi ports and produce up to 450 megawatts of power to Ghana's national electricity grid.

Five Junior High School heads of the Abavanna cluster of schools in Accra together with four of their counterparts at Kanda accused of charging exorbitant examination fees have been demoted.

The demoted heads have also been instructed by the Education Ministry to refund monies they illegally collected from pupils as examination registration fees. The sanctions were announced after the heads were summoned, Friday to justify why they were charging illegal fees.

At the end of their Second Tripartite Meeting in Accra, representatives of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), also known as (UEMOA) and the World Bank Group have agreed on a set of priorities aimed at significantly diversifying and transforming the economies of the sub-region.

The West Africa Clean Energy and Environment Exhibition (WACEE’15) and Conferences has thrown out the huge potential the country has for the production of energy using biomass, a renewable source.

A Research conducted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), estimates about 2700 cubic metres of biomass available, which could generate about 97 Peter joles of heat. This can translate into the production of over 110 megawatts of power countrywide.

The Diplomatic Corps in Ghana has pledged its support for Ghana’s bailout negotiation with the International Monetary fund (IMF).

According to them, they appreciate the current economic challenges the nation is experiencing and expressed the confidence that President John Mahama will lead the nation out of the current economic situation with help from the IMF.

The United States of America (USA) has projected that Ghana will be better positioned economically this year, especially when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program takes off.

Ghana’s economic challenges had been enormous last year. The cedi had depreciated by more than 30 percent last year alone against the dollar, coupled with a high budget deficit, leading to government revising its budget deficit target.

Ghana has opened its social protection strategy for the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, donor community and development partners to scrutinize at New York.Nana-Oye-Lithur-Minister-of-GenderChildren-and-Social-Protection.-1-620x330

Large contingent of delegates attending the on-going 53rd Session of the Commission for Social Development (CSocD53) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York thronged to participate in Ghana’s side event, which focused on using Social Protection as a tool for addressing poverty and vulnerability.

The Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, has directed the Department of Urban Roads to take steps to address cost overruns characterizing most of its projects.

He criticized what he said was “the huge cost overrun that the Department has with the Road Fund” and warned that projects procured through price quotations without the necessary approvals “shall not be honoured”.

Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs of Ghana’s Parliament, on Thursday January 15, 2015, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Joseph Henry Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the US, as part of their activities during a study tour of the United States of America (USA).

In his welcome address, Ambassador Smith briefed the delegation on the activities of the Mission in the 57 years of Ghana /US relations and on the attainment of Ghana’s strategic interest in the economic cooperation between the two countries.

Ghana joined throngs of U.S. officials and members of the Diplomatic Community at the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Washington DC, Wednesday, January 28, 2015 to offer their sympathies and sign the Book of Condolence for King Abudllah bin Abdulaziz, whose death occurred on January 23, 2015.

Consultations between the Governments of Germany and Ghana are ongoing in Accra at the Ministry of Finance on February 3rd and February 4th 2015.

According to a news release from the German Embassy in Accra copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), discussions will centre on the focal areas and adequate instruments for bilateral cooperation for the next three years (2015 - 2017).

Mr Mark Woyongo, Minister of Interior, on Tuesday directed personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at the country’s borders to ‘shut the door’ against people seeking to enter the country without travelling documents.

This, he said, was because the sub-region was under serious attack by terrorists and the country could not continue to welcome travellers without documents.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants – Ghana (ICAG) has commended the government for providing the national financial and economic policy for 2015.ICAG

A statement signed by ICAG President, Prof. Omani-Antwi on behalf of Council of ICAG expressed its professional opinion on the budget, and noted among other things that the projected overall GDP (including oil) growth rate of 3.9 per cent in 2015, seem to be a realistic growth rate which in the opinion of ICAG was achievable.

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) had put in a special appeal to development partners and the international donor community to forgive the debts of the most affected Ebola countries in the sub-region.

The forgiveness, the President explained, would enable the countries – Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone – to re-invest in their socio-economic sectors of their economies.

The Japanese government has provided $421,000 dollars grant to five communities for projects in the health and education sectors.

The Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGHSP) Scheme is to assist grassroots level development projects and small scale assistance for basic needs that will ensure human security.

CAF has made a disputable decision by appointing controversial Gabonese referee Eric Arnaud Otogo-Castane to take charge of Ghana’s crucial 2015 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final match against hosts Equatorial Guinea on Thursday.

The divisive appointment of the match official from neighboring Gabon comes just two days after the referee in Equatorial Guinea’s match favoured the host nation by awarding a dubious penalty which helped the home side to edge past Tunisia to reach the last four.

Mr. Alban Bagbin, the Majority Leader in Parliament, has said Ghanaians have too much tolerance for corruption, hence, the lack of moral courage to fight the canker.

This attitude of the citizenry towards corruption, he said, was part of the reason why it had become difficult to fully fight to eliminate or reduce corruption to the barest minimum to propel the country’s development agenda.

A Malaysian company, Yinson Holdings Bhd, has been awarded a $2.54 billion contract by Eni Ghana Exploration & Production Ltd., for the chartering, operation and maintenance of a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.

The Bank of Ghana has scheduled February 19 next month to auction government’s 3- year fixed rate bond to raise GHC630 million from the capital market to refinance government’s debts maturing in the first half of this year.

The Italian group Eni, Vitol and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) on 27th January, 2015 signed the agreement to proceed with the OCTP integrated oil & gas project in Ghana with President John Dramani Mahama, and the Minister of Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, signing for Ghana.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has appealed to the Government to hand over the management of mission schools to the missions.

The Reverend Kofi Amfo Akonnor, Asante Presbytery Chairperson, said at the Presbytery’s New Year School in Kumasi that the leadership had officially written to the Government, explaining why the missions wanted to run their schools.

Mr Alban Bagbin, Majority Leader in Parliament, has stated that government needs to consider detaching the Attorney General’s (AG) Department from the Ministry of Justice in order to reduce interference from the government in the work of the AG.

According to him, a move to separate the Department from the Justice ministry which he described as a “political position”, will ensure more efficiency in the delivery of justice in the country.

Citizens in five districts in Northern and Upper East Regions now have the voice to demand better health care delivery by texting their concerns of poor health service delivery to the authorities for quick response.

This follows the launch of a project dubbed: “Tackling Accountable Reproductive Health Delivery through strengthened Advocacy,” at Salaga in the East Gonja District of the Northern Region, on Thursday.

Development projects are speedily going on all over Ghana and the government recognises the contribution of the Ghanaian Diaspora in all this but wants to move the Diaspora’s contribution a step further in the overall national development agenda.

It is a privilege for me to celebrate with you this evening the end of 2014, as well as the arrival of a New Year, 2015. Indeed, it is a blessing for us to be alive today to witness the passing of yet another year, and for this, we give thanks to the Almighty God.

On behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, my family and the entire staff of the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C., I extend heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all Ghanaians in the diaspora and friends of Ghana as we celebrate Christmas and the coming New Year.

Ghana Armed Forces Veterans Association, District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (GAFVA - DMV) was on Saturday, December 06, 2014 inaugurated at a ceremony in Lorton, Virginia.

Membership of the Association is made up of former servicemen of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) currently residing in Greater Washington, Maryland and Virginia metro-areas of the United States of America (USA).

Ghana has expressed her satisfaction and appreciation for the support the United States of America (USA) has given to her budding democracy which has been touted one of the most successful on the African continent.

His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, expressed the sentiment when he presented his letters of Credence to President Barack Obama of the United States of America at a ceremony at the White House on Tuesday, November 18, 2014.

The Ministry of Education has commemorated this year's World AIDS Day on the theme 'Ghana: Towards an HIV-free generation, through Prevention from Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT), Safe Sex, and Stigma Reduction'.

GHANA’S Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), has stressed the importance of trade between Ghana and the US saying, “trade between the two countries, remains very important in advancing investment and business linkages between Ghana and the US”.

Interacting with members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at the Chambers’ office in Washington DC last Friday, October 31, 2014, Ambassador Smith used the occasion to invite the U.S. business community to partner Ghanaian businesses to help accelerate infrastructural development in Ghana.

His Excellency, Lt. Gen. J. H. Smith, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, last Thursday, October 30, 2014 joined other African Ambassadors in Washington DC to sign a book of condolence opened at the Zambian Embassy in Washington DC as the country mourns President Michael Sata, who passed away at the King Edward VII Hospital in the United Kingdom.

A 28 member Tema Youth Choir, who were on a three-week tour of the United States of America, on Monday, October 27, 2014 paid a courtesy call on Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith at the Embassy.

With the successful end of the second round of talks between the Government of Ghana and the International Monetary Fund ( IMF) in Washington DC, the Ghanaian economy is hopeful of bouncing back from its recent fiscal imbalances.

Reuters News Agency on Friday, October 17, 2014 said Ghana's Deputy Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson told the Agency on Thursday after talks with the IMF in Washington that a deal was close and that a decisive meeting would take place in the first week of November.

A statement from the IMF also confirmed the progress with the talks as below.

His Excellency, Lt Gen, (Rtd) Joseph Henry Smith, CV, LM (USA) will be arriving in Washington DC on Saturday, October 11, 2014 to assume duty as Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America (USA).

Cocoa Link, an amalgamation of Ghana Cocoa Board, Hershey Company and the World Cocoa Foundation, is the winner of Concordia Summit’s P3 Impact award for the year 2014 and for its prize, was presented with an engraved plaque.

The attention of the Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C., has been drawn to an article captioned “Mahama Chased In US” on the Ghanaweb online site. The Mission will like to state that the article is filled with falsehoods, inaccuracies and written with the intention of deceiving the general public, particularly, the good people of Ghana. The Embassy will, therefore, like to set the records straight and request that the article be retracted.

The 105th birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah was commemorated in Accra with a call on Ghanaians to allow the ideals, visions and principles of the late President Nkrumah to lead their behaviour and actions as Ghanaians.

Mrs. Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Minister of Justice and Attorney General on Tuesday assured Ghanaians of a favourable outcome of the maritime boundary arbitration between Ghana and the Cote d’Ivoire.

As part of his visit to the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly [UNGA], His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, will pay a one-day visit to Worcester, Massachusetts, to meet with the Ghanaian Community from the Greater Boston area on Saturday, 27th September 2014 to brief them on developments back home. In addition, His Excellency will meet with the Business Community in Worcester.

Bank of Ghana officials have projected the nation’s economy is to hit a single digit inflation rate again by the second half of next year, subject to world market price of oil and stability in the exchange rate.

The Black Stars, the Ghanaian National Team, will be arriving in Florida, USA on June 1, 2014 on their way to Brazil, where they are expected to participate in the forthcoming FIFA World Cup tournament in June.

The First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, under the auspices of The Lordina Foundation, has donated quantities of medical supplies and equipment to three hospitals in the Northern Region to support improved healthcare delivery for patients.

Members of the ECOWAS Parliament ended its two-day dialogue on cross border challenges and opportunities for trade and finance, with a resolution that ECOWAS should pursue more vigorously the implementation of the single currency.

US secretary of state, Mr. John F. Kerry, has expressed his wish to see the United States of America (USA) play Brazil in this year’s World Cup but dreaded the idea that the US national team, would have to get past the Black Stars of Ghana, who have already humiliated the US twice in Germany and in South Africa and in addition beat Germany and Portugal.

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved US$24 million for Ghana to help transform Science, Technology, and Higher Education. The project will be financed through International Development Agency (IDA) credits.

Government has developed a comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy to encourage industries to improve their impact in the communities where they operate by addressing wider social and environmental challenges, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, has disclosed.

The Ghanaian government, in its determination to provide good, affordable, efficient and reliable health care system for all citizens of the country and to further upgrade all regional hospitals has provided the Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital in Sunyani with hospital equipment worth US$7 million to reactivate activities at the hospital.

Ghana's Finance Minister Seth Terkper defended steps taken by the government to halt a steep fall in the country's cedi currency and told the Reuters Africa Summit the measures would soon start to take effect.

First batch of 20 houses out of the 100 unit houses under the Social Housing Scheme will be completed and handed over to the management of the Tamale Community Cooperative Credit Union Limited (TCCCUL) for onward distribution to members before the end of April this year.

Government is working hard to collaborate with the private sector to establish industries for made-in-Ghana goods to cut down the importation of many of the goods consumed locally and to provide jobs for the youth, President John Dramani Mahama has said.

West Africa needs to lower tariffs, enable freer movement of goods and services, and deepen integration of its 15 countries to promote growth, Ghana's President John Mahama said at the Reuters Africa summit.

West Africa needs to lower tariffs, enable freer movement of goods and services, and deepen integration of its 15 countries to promote growth, Ghana's President John Mahama said at the Reuters Africa summit.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson has called for the strengthening of human rights and the rule of law in order to meet the challenges in bringing peace and security to places of conflict and crisis, and in building sustainable development for all.

Ghana’s implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women, reduction of child mortality, universal primary education and combating of HIV/AIDS has been showcased at the United Nation’s headquarters in New York.

Ghana today (March 10,2014) concluded its final inputs to the United Nations' Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) regarding a request for the extension of the continental shelf of Ghana beyond 200 nautical miles.

Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the Minister of Youth and Sports, on Thursday said the government would build a multi-disciplinary sports-inclined senior high school in each region as part of its programme to deliver 200 new second-cycle institutions.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Trade and Industry, on Thursday reiterated government’s commitment to increase the nation’s electricity generation capacity from the current 2,800 megawatts to 5,000 megawatts by the end of 2016.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Tekper on Monday inaugurated a 10-member board for the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) with a charge to members to deal with the over $ 200 million debt owed by local cocoa processing companies.

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has called for a global effort to tackle the menace of climate change which is impacting negatively on human endeavors, irrespective of geographical location, stage of development, race, gender or religion.

As 2013 comes to an end and we celebrate the coming of the New Year, I take this opportunity to send seasonal greetings to readers of the Ghana Embassy web page. On behalf of the entire staff at the Washington Mission, I want to extend our deep appreciation to all who worked with us.

First Lady Mrs. Lordina Mahama who is also the First Vice President of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV & AIDS (OAFLA) for West Africa has presented food supplements to the National Association of People Living with AIDS (NAP+).

Ghana’s Ambassador to the U.S., His Excellency Daniel Ohene Agyekum on Friday, December 12, 2013 was among the dignitaries who signed the book of condolence on behalf of the government and people of Ghana at the South African Embassy in honor of former President, Mr. Nelson Mandela whose death occurred on December 5, 2013. He was 95 years old.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Trade and Industries, has lauded the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for its commitment towards the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the world.

The Amir of Kuwait and Chairman of the third Afro-Arab Economic Summit, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, has directed the managers of the Kuwait Fund for Economic Development to offer soft loans to African countries to the tune of one billion dollars in the next five years.

A forum has been held in Manhattan, New York in memory of Prof. Kofi Nyidevu Awoonor, former Council of State chairman, who was among 67 people killed in the terrorist attack at the Westgate Shopping Mall in Kenya on September 21, this year.

President John Dramani Mahama has challenged the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to develop systems devoid of human interference to help address the inherent inefficiencies of the scheme to contribute to its sustainability.

The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has announced that members states in the sub region would from January 2015 adopt a Common External Tariff (CET) for goods coming in from outside the region.

The Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Collins Dauda, has expressed government’s commitment to ensure that the Kpong Water Works Expansion Project is completed by December 2014 to provide water to the people of Adenta and its environs.

The Authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has tasked President John Mahama to facilitate and monitor the convergence process for the establishment of a common currency in the sub-region.

The objectives of the Diaspora Support Unit is to enhance government’s capacity to address concerns, problems and grievances of Ghanaians in the Diaspora, in a more proactive and effective manners with the ultimate goal of facilitating the role and contribution of Ghanaians abroad in national development.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Mrs Mawuena Trebarh says Ghana needs to project and maintain the right Image and Reputation of both the GIPC and the country as a whole order to attract more of the scarce Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the market.

Better food systems are required in order to defeat hunger and malnutrition around the globe was the key message coming from the observance of world food day at Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters.

Mr Clement Kofi Humado, Minister of Food and Agriculture on Wednesday said Ghana is now self-sufficient in the production of most carbohydrate foods such as maize, cassava, yam, cocoyam, sweet potatoes and plantain.

About 1.3 million Ghanaians would continue to enjoy subsidies on electricity and water, notwithstanding the recent hikes in the commodities, Mr Mahama Ayariga, Minister of information and Media relations has announced.

President John Mahama yesterday visited the Kennesaw State University in the State of Georgia, where he delivered a lecture on Ghana's evolution as a democracy and its growing economic and international influence.

President John Mahama has engaged with US Secretary of State John Kerry on progress made with regards to the Millennium Challenge Account projects and the second compact which will assist Ghana's energy sector.

Vice President Paa-Kwesi Amissah-Arthur on Tuesday explained that the deregulation of the petroleum sector and the expansion of the tax net are to help raise additional income for the execution of government projects.

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur on Tuesday explained that the deregulation of the petroleum sector and the expansion of the tax net are to help raise additional income for the execution of government projects.

Dr Bernice Heloo, Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), on Monday said government was in the process of developing a business plan for the establishment of a refrigeration plant.

The Governments of Ghana, Benin and Togo, have agreed to expedite action on the construction of the Lagos Abidjan Highway to enhance the free movement of their citizens to and from the three neighbors.

President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday announced that Ghana would establish synergies with neighbouring West African countries to ensure swift and safe delivery of goods and services at various ports and harbours.

This morning, President Obama, Vice President Biden, the First Lady, and Dr. Biden will join White House staff on the South Lawn of the White House for a moment of silence at 8:46 AM ET – the time that the first airplane struck the World Trade Center.

Mr Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, has underscored the need for West African countries to trade among themselves to strengthen their bargaining power on the continent.

The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) comes into force on August 20, inaugurating a new era of decent work for seafarers and fair competition for ship owners in the global shipping industry.

The United States (U.S.) Embassy’s Public Affairs Office in Accra, through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), invites creative proposals that promote HIV/AIDS prevention and/or education through outreach activities in information sharing and/or programming.

Government and its social Partners including labour organisations are meeting on Tuesday in Ho to discuss the sustainability of the Single Spine pay policy and the challenges posed to economic management and development.

Vivo Energy, the company formed by Vitol, Helios Investment Partners and Shell to distribute and market Shell-branded fuels and lubricants across Africa, has acquired a majority shareholding in Shell Ghana Limited.

Dr Henry Kofi Wampah, Governor of the Central Bank, has said increased production and consumption of local rice and the advent of gas production are alternative sources for sustainable exports and foreign exchange earnings for Ghana.

Only five per cent of the nation’s 1.9 million hectares of irrigation potential has been developed, Dr Ben Vas Nyamadi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), has said.

Farmers group in the Tain District of Brong Ahafo Region, have adopted a cashless transaction system that enables them to purchase farm inputs, services and sell their produce without having to exchange physical cash.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Government of Ghana on Tuesday signed an agreement for the award of eight million dollars for feasibility studies into the second compact of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has appealed to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to increase its assistance to rural communities to create other forms of employment to absorb labour released from farming.

Parliament on Tuesday passed the Communications Service Tax (Amendment) Bill, even though industry players have cautioned that the House’s consent to that piece of legislation may lead to the appreciation of the cost of services.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, is working with the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to develop a comprehensive national protection system towards the elimination of cultural practices that affects children and women in Ghana.

Mr Felix Kwakye-Ofosu Deputy Minister for Information and Media Relations, on Friday said that government scholarships would now be restricted to cover only courses that are not available in the country's tertiary institutions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment guidelines recommending that there was the need to offer antiretroviral therapy (ART) earlier than expected.

Mr Mahama Ayariga, Minister for Information and Media Relations, on Thursday gave the assurance that government would provide the needed financial support for Ghanaian students studying abroad on government scholarship.

Ghana and five other countries are to benefit from US’s 20 million dollars under the Key Populations Challenge Fund (KPCF) to expand their country programmes on high-impact comprehensive package of HIV prevention, treatment, and care services for key populations.

The Minister of Education, Professor Jane Naana Poku-Agyemang on Friday commissioned a six million US dollar technical training centre for the Takoradi Polytechnic to train Ghanaian students in Oil/Gas and other technical vocations.

Karin Landgren, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) of the United Nations, has awarded Peacekeeping Medals to more than 700 Ghanaian peacekeepers for their outstanding service as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

A local business consortium, Eco Technologies and Community Infrastructure Group (ETIC Group Ghana), is to help the country speed up its efforts at closing the housing gap with the introduction of steel bending solutions that reduce time and cost.

First Lady Mrs Lordina Mahama and other first ladies on Saturday participated in an International Symposium on HIV and AIDS as part of the ongoing 5th Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama, Japan.

Shinzo Abe, Japanese Prime Minister, on Saturday opened the 5th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) with the announcement of a five-year 32 billion dollars package to support infrastructure development and boost economic growth in Africa.

President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the only way African countries could develop politically and financially was by embracing democracy as it would improve public participation and development.

The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has launched the 2nd Ghana Industry Awards, spanning all sectors of the economy, to provide a platform to help define the highest standards of excellence in business.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitive Index 2012/2013 has ranked Ghana as the 4th investment destinations in sub-Saharan Africa and 3rd among the five top recipient of Foreign Direct Investment into Africa.

Former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan has reiterated the negative impacts of tax avoidance and evasion on the world, indicating that these activities while they are global issues “have direct impact on the lives of mothers and children.”

I had the privilege of interviewing the Ghana Ambassador to the USA earlier in the month of March 2013 in Washington DC. His Excellency the Ambassador; Daniel Ohene Agyekum, was kind enough to grant me audience when I visited with him at his office where we talked about Ghana-USA relations, Ghanaians in the diaspora and what the current government in Ghana is doing to ensure that the discovery of oil in Ghana does not become a Dutch disease.

Mr Ken Allen, Chief Executive Officer of DHL Express, has described Africa as the last bastion for business globally with the potential to improve to be stable and lucrative for international commerce.

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS), the world’ largest independent professional body representing the procurement and supply profession will on 21st - 22nd May 2013 organize its annual Pan African Conference in Accra.

Breast Care International (BCI), a breast cancer awareness NGO, has initiated a number of strategies to demystify breast cancer and encourage women to undertake regular self and clinical breast examination as well as seek early treatment.

Government on Sunday says it has received assurance from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examination Council (WAEC) that preparations for the conduct of the 2013 West African Senior Schools Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) were on course.

A water treatment plant is to be established at Essiama in the Western Region to cater solely for the oil fields, Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, announced on Thursday.

Hundreds of Ghanaians in the Washington DC metro area on Wednesday 6th March, defied the inclement weather of snow, sleet and rain to join the Ambassador and staff at the Embassy in celebrating Ghana`s 56th Independence Anniversary.

Mr Tegegnework Gettu, UNDP Assistant Secretary General and Director for the Regional Bureau for Africa, congratulating Ghana on her 56th Independence Day anniversary, has described the nation as a symbol of democratic stability in Africa.

Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, would lead a 40-member delegation to participate in the 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations headquarters in New York, USA.

Mr Noatak Nikai, Ambassador of Japan in Ghana signing GGHSP project with Mr. Hubert Charles, the National Director of World Vision Ghana after the signing ceremony in Accra.

The Japanese Government and World Vision Ghana, a Christian Non-Governmental Organisation, on Tuesday signed a 120,826 dollars grant to provide decent academic facilities for the Saaman community in the Fanteakwa District in the Eastern Region.

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Finance Minister of oil rich Nigeria, has cautioned Ghana to illustrate greater transparency and accountability in managing the fledgling oil industry to avoid the challenges associated with the harnessing of the natural resource.

Beninios President, Yayi Boni, who is also Chairman of the African Union paid a courtesy call on President-elect, John Dramani Mahama at the Castle, and praised Ghana for organizing yet another peaceful and transparent election.

President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama has announced that government would in the coming years eliminate the use of kerosene in communities by providing electricity that was affordable and accessible.

Mr. Alfred Okoh Vanderpuije, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), says the assembly has secured a $1.2m from the government of China to finance the installation of street lights at Cantonments in Accra.

Mr. Samuel Offosu-Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), has allocated two motorbikes each to 40 districts to enable them to undertake effective monitoring and supervision of the Ghana Social Opportunities Project (GSOP)

Ghana’s late President, John Evans Atta Mills, was yesterday conferred with a posthumous honor from the International Institute of Education in recognition of his highly distinguished career as a Fullbright Scholar and as the President of the Republic of Ghana at a special ceremony held in the United States of America.

Mr. Benjamin Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, says government has developed a multi sector approach in the mining sector by establishing a taskforce to regulate and improve the mining sector revenue.

The Upper East Regional, Mr Mark Owen Woyongo has disclosed that the Government of Ghana has put in place arrangements for the construction of a multi-purpose dam on the White Volta at Pwalugu in the Upper East region. Estimated to be completed in 2019, the dam would generate electricity and irrigate over 100,000 hectares of land to the benefit of people in the Upper East and Northern Regions of the country.

Ghana Government five-year bond to raise money to fund a number of infrastructural projects was oversubscribed by more than 200 percent, a statement from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, announced yesterday.

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that government has embarked on a project to retool the energy sector that would enable the country to supply liquefied gas and substantial electricity to Benin.

The Outgoing US Ambassador to Ghana, Donald Teitelbaum, says Ghana continues to show good signs as a true democratic nation having witnessed a smooth transition of power after the passing on of President Atta Mills.

Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur has expressed strong conviction for further growth of the relationship between Ghana and the United States of America (USA), for the mutual benefit of people of the two nations.

H.E. Dr. John Dramani Mahama, the President of Ghana, has announced that government has approved $10 million dollars out of the three billion dollar loan secured from China, for the expansion of infrastructure at the newly-established University of Health and Allied Science in the Volta Region.

Amidst the outpour of grief and eulogies, members of the Diplomatic Corp, officials from the U.S. Department of State, Ghanaian Clergymen, Heads of Ghanaian Associations, memebers of the various political parties, the Ghanaian community and friends of Ghana gathered at the Embassy of Ghana to celebrate the life of the Late President, Prof John Evans Atta Mills on Friday.

President John Dramani Mahama today paid his last respect to the late President John Evans Atta Mills at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Accra. President Mahama, who arrived at the State House around 1103 hours, dressed in a black suit and tie with his wife, Lordina was followed by Vice President Kwesi Amissah- Arthur and former First Lady, Dr Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills.

The Government of Ghana has officially announced the final funeral rites of the late President John Evans Atta Mills at a press conference in Accra yesterday by the late President Mills Funeral Planning Committee.

Parliament has approved a credit agreement between the government of Ghana and CAL Bank Ghana Limited for the medium term loan facility of US$ 13,912,750 and € 3,484,457 for the procurement of vehicle and communication equipment for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

Following the sudden demise of our President Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, the Embassy of Ghana will open a book condolence on Thursday July 26th, Friday July 27th, Monday July 30th and Tuesday July 31st between the hours of 10:00am – 3:00pm each day.

His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills has commissioned an ultramodern school complex at the Mamprobi Salvation Cluster of Schools, which is to provide permanent accommodation for pupils who were formally part of the “school shift system” in the Accra Metropolis.

His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills, has on behalf of Government, presented the National House of Chiefs (NHC), with a cheque of GHC500,000 as seed capital for the establishment of the Ghana House of Chiefs Endowment Fund (GHOCEF).

The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, yesterday, launched the ‘Ghana Housing Profile’ which seeks to inform, promote and assist in the implementation of housing policies at the national level.

Ever since oil and gas was discovered in commercial quantities in the West Cape Three Points of the Western Region, there has been an upsurge of supply vessels berthing at the Takoradi port to transact business.

Dr. Joseph Oteng Adjei, the Minister of Energy says, the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) has committed €5.6 million towards feasibility studies of the Pwalugu Multi-purpose dam project to be constructed by the Volta River Authority (VRA).

H. E John Mahama, Vice-President says, Ghanaians can now enjoy reliable and accurate weather forecasts and warnings from the Meteorological Agency (GMet) from the acquisition of 2.5 million dollar surveillance radar.

Mr. Alban Bagbin, the Minister of Health (MoH), has announce that government has placed an order for the supply of medical equipment valued at $276 million to be distributed to hospitals and clinics to enhance health delivery in the country.

Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, says this year’s World Environment Day celebration seeks to remind Ghanaians of Government’s commitment to make the earth a conducive place to live in.

The Government of Ghana has targeted to subsidise 176,000 metric tonnes of granular and liquid fertilizer at a cost of GH¢120.3 million and 151,000 metric tonnes of certified seeds at the cost of GH¢4.8 million, all totaling GH¢124.1 million.

The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) today lauded the new Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition launched by the G8. FARA is an umbrella organisation that brings together and forms coalitions of major stakeholders in agricultural research and development in Africa. A statement to the Ghana News Agency in Accra signed by Dr. Tiemoko Yo, Chairman of FARA commended G8’s commitment to launch a technology platform together particularly with FARA, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and other partners.

Mr. Kwasi Atta-Antwi, the National Programme Director of the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP), has announced that a $184 million to be committed in implementing the third phase of REP, with the objective of improving the livelihood and income of the rural folks, micro and small entrepreneurs, starting from this year to 2020.

As in most traditional societies or countries, the concept of poverty in Ghana is a recent phenomenon, which has come about as a result of a number of factors including modernization and economic development. There was communal or family ownership of wealth.

Mr. Ken Sagoe, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of the Tamale Teaching Hospital says, a modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, worth one million Euros, is being installed at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), to improve upon healthcare at the hospital.

Mr. Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director for Sustainable Development in Africa has announced that, World Bank has approved $120 million for the second phase of the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme, to improve food production in Ghana and Senegal.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama is in Brasilia, Brazil to attend the UNDP organized Fifth Ministerial Forum for Development. The Forum will focus on the need to aggressively tackle social inequalities, which have been identified as the key challenge for many societies despite ongoing strategies to overcome poverty.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in collaboration with Model African Union Secretariat (MAUS) would host about 500 youth leaders across Africa as part of the 49th African Union Day (AU) celebration in Accra on May 25.

Mr. Bright Appiah, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) and a Board member of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), has launched the Global Action Week (GAW) 2012, with a call on parents, teachers, care givers, civil society and government to help transform the Early Childhood Education system in Ghana.

A statement has been issued by Volta Region Development Agency (VORDA), to announce that two separate Chinese delegations on Health and Agriculture from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region are on reciprocal visits to the Volta Region under the Volta-Ningxia Sister-Relationship programme.

H.E Dr. John Dramani Mahama, the Vice President in Ghana, has confirmed government’s determination to make health care accessible to all, by providing the needed infrastructure, equipment and human resources to man every medical centre.

The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton has lauded President John Evans Atta Mills and the three other African heads of state who are attending the 38th G8 Summit in the US for their leadership roles in tackling food insecurity and malnutrition in their countries.

The ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC) yesterday donated 30,000 US dollars to three rural women groups in Ghana who engage in agricultural production to assist them acquire materials and other logistics to support their farming activities.

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, the Upper West Regional Minister, has announced that the Government has so far awarded 276 educational projects on contract in the Upper West Region, to expand education infrastructure, to enhance teaching and learning.

The Government has expanded the Rural Enterprise Programme (REP) to cover all the 161 Municipal and District Assemblies in the country, to help accelerate growth of the rural economy to curb abject poverty.

Mr. Musa S. Mbenga, Country Representative of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently in Accra presented the Ghana National Aquaculture Development Plan (GNADP) to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Mr. Mahama Ayariga, a Deputy Minister for Education, yesterday reiterated Government’s commitment as part of its Better Ghana Agenda to continue to invest in the educational infrastructure of the country.

The general public is being informed that Tueday the 1st of May 2012 is a statutory public holiday in Ghana. The Embassy will therefore be closed on Tuesday the 1st of May and resume its normal duty on Wednesday the 2nd of May 20112.

President John Evans Atta Mills has again assured the international business community that Ghana today has many opportunities that make her one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world.

H.E Professor John Evans Atta Mills, President of the Republic of Ghana emphasized the need to pay serious attention to the efforts at conserving our natural resources, stressing that our very human existence is intrinsically linked to the oceans, reiterating that “when the last marine specie dies, the last man will die”

Mr. Bright Appiah, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) and a Board member of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), has launched the Global Action Week (GAW) 2012, with a call on parents, teachers, care givers, civil society and government to help transform the Early Childhood Education system in Ghana.

A statement has been issued by Volta Region Development Agency (VORDA), to announce that two separate Chinese delegations on Health and Agriculture from Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region are on reciprocal visits to the Volta Region under the Volta-Ningxia Sister-Relationship programme.

H.E Dr. John Dramani Mahama, the Vice President in Ghana, has confirmed government’s determination to make health care accessible to all, by providing the needed infrastructure, equipment and human resources to man every medical centre.

Some 60 ministers responsible for finance, sanitation and hygiene from over 30 developing countries will participate in the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) meeting on April 20 at the World Bank in Washington, DC.

Mr. Jerry Sam, the Project Director of Africa Elections Project (AEP), has launched an online platform designed to map and display reports from the Electoral Commission, civil society groups and citizens on the upcoming general election in Ghana.

Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, the Minister of Food and Agriculture says government has announced a subsidy on the price of 40 HP out board motors from GH¢7,500 to GH¢4,900 to boost the fishing season which is expected in late June.

President John Atta Mills has asked Ghanaians to continue to make useful inputs into the governance process with their views and ensure that they work hard to support Government in achieving a better life for all.

The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) would soon come out with a long-term national development plan to meet future development goals of the country, Mr. Paul Victor Obeng, Chairman of the Commission announced yesterday.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with the World Bank yesterday disclosed plans to deal with challenges in Ghana and Nigeria trade relations and also outdoor measures to strengthen ECOWAS.

The Deputy Minister for Finance Hon. Fifii Kwettey has noted that Ghana’s economy is on sound footing. He however, cautioned Ghanaians to stop thinking that there was wealth in the country because of the cocoa, minerals, timber etc, but rather consider the resourcefulness of the nation as a very important issue.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced that over eight million persons had been registered by the end of the second phase of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR), as against 6.5 million persons anticipated.

A Ghanaian born biology student hoping to combine an interest in biomedical research and a desire to become a dentist is the 2012 winner of the Richard Bernstein Achievement Award at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

Mr. Elorm Attipoe, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of the Youth Enterprise and skills Development Centre YESDEC), has announced that YESDEC, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, has trained 9,000 unemployed Ghanaians.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama yesterday inaugurated 47 vehicles worth over 8.5 million dollars, with a call on Ghanaians to step up tree-planting projects to mitigate disasters. He said: “most of the disasters that occur could have been prevented if trees were planted to serve as a wind break”.

Perry A. Cantarutti, Delta Air Line’s Senior Vice President of Delta Air Lines, in charge of Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, has said that Ghana is a key market for Delta in view of its stable economy, natural resources and serene environment.

The government's efforts to speedily build the country’s infrastructure through partnerships with the private sector had a shot in the arm on March 27, following the approval of US$30 million from the World Bank to kick-start the project.

Mrs. Gifty Tetteh, the Manager of Bioenergy, at the Ministry of Energy, says government is to roll out a renewable energy action plan this year to attract more than $1 billion investment in power generation, into the national grid.

H. E John Mahama, the Vice-President says, more than 50,000 people in three districts of the Northern Region have access to potable water, following the inauguration of the Tamale Water Expansion Project estimated at $5 million project.

President John Evans Atta Mills left Accra for Abidjan this morning to the commercial Capital of Ivory Coast, Abidjan for the extra ordinary summit of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to participate in the deliberation of the recent mutiny that ousted the Malian government and apply the desired and appropriate sanctions.

Mr. Godwin Kwaku Dolvo Herve Delsol, Deputy Managing Director of the GWCL, says Customers of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) are to enjoy reliable and quality water supply, following an initiative to rehabilitate its entire water infrastructure costing 1,615,730 million.

Part of the airside at the Kotoka International airport was turned into a mini rally ground on Tuesday night as scores of Ghanaians thronged the airport to welcome home President John Evans Atta Mills and wife, Naadu from the recent US trip.

President Barack Obama welcomed His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills and his delegation to the White house in Washington DC. The two discussed a range of economic and commercial issues that binds the two countries.

Mr. John Mahama, Vice-President says government is to construct over 200 community day schools with well-equipped libraries across the country, as part of a new drive to expand access to secondary education.

Preisdent of Ghana, H.E. John Evans Atta Mills has commissioned four fast patrol ships ordered from China by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) at the Western Naval Command at Sekondi.

Mr. Esko Hamilo, Under-Secretary of State for External Economic Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says Ghana’s economic growth and political advancement has attracted a Finish delegation to Ghana to explore business opportunities for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Mr. Daniel Darko, a Director of Health Information at the Ghana Health Service, says the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has piloted the use of mobile phones in an effort to bridge the gap between community health workers and patients.

Mr. Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive of the Millennium Development Authority (MIDA), says government is providing an additional 25 million dollars to support the Millennium Challenge Compact programme in Ghana.

Mr. Esko Hamilo, the Under-Secretary of State for External Economic Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, says Finland has lauded Ghana’s significant growth in the economic development, citing also peace and stable political atmosphere coupled with excellent human relations.

Mr. Robert Agaab, Upper East Regional Co-ordninator of the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP) says the programme has provided training for 527 youths in the Upper East Region in various trade vocations to make them self-employable.

Ms. Sherry Ayittey, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), says Government of Ghana has inaugurated the Ghana National Cleaner Production Centre at Tema in the Greater Accra Region, to effectively reduce industrial impact and improve the environment and to maximise industrial profit.

Madam Augustina Nana Yaa Jantuah, the Director of Public Affairs of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), in collaboration with the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), has embarked on a move to sink boreholes and extend potable water to deprived areas throughout the country.

President John Evans Atta Mills says government has begun talks with Shelter Afrique, the largest housing development support organization in Africa, as part of its efforts at securing alternative funding for STX housing project.

Mr. Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) says MiDA has commissioned a six-unit classroom block for the Saint Francis Anglican Primary School at Bontrase in the Awutu Senya District in the Central Region.

Mr. Shaibu Muniru, a Senior Member of the project team says
a project initiated by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has registered
127,606 farmers to create a national database in the country.

Hon. Joe Gidisu, Minister of Roads and Highways say the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has made available to the Ministry highways 2 million dollars for the design of a three-tier interchange on the Tema Motorway and Ashaiman roundabouts.

Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, says Parliament has passed the Appropriation Bill, 2011 to approve and authorize the government to withdraw GH¢19,935,767,331.00 from the Consolidated Fund and other public funds to meet its expenditure for 2012.

Mr. Anthony Fofie, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD, says the Board will from January 2012 embark on a massive rehabilitation of over aged cocoa trees to enable farmers in cocoa growing areas to increase their yield.

Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, the Sector Minister has announced that basic schools in the three Northern Regions will receive free extra teaching from the next academic year. The full cost of the tuition and allowances for teachers are being borne by the Ministry of Education.

Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, the Sector Minister has announced that basic schools in the three Northern Regions will receive free extra teaching from the next academic year. The full cost of the tuition and allowances for teachers are being borne by the Ministry of Education.

Mr. Gabriel Apatu, the Public Relations Assistant of the Bui Power Authority (BPA) says the authority has taken delivery of three turbines cost $4.7 million whilst $1.7 million for two transformers for installation and production of power at the Bui Hydro Electric Project currently under construction at Bui in the Brong Ahafo Region.

H. E. John Mahama, Vice President has launched the third phase of the Rural Enterprise Programme (REP) at Mankesim in the Central Region to improve the livelihood and incomes of rural micro and small-scale entrepreneurs.

H. E. John Dramani Mahama, the Vice President has inaugurated a CASA- 295 twin- turboprop medium lift aircraft for the Ghana Air Force (GAF) to be used to support combat, surveillance and medical evacuations.

Ms Sedina Tamakloe-Ationu, National Co-ordinator of the National Youth Authority’s (NYA)’s says one hundred youth engaged under the National Youth Authority -project have graduated after undergo-free range broiler poultry production.

Dr. Joseph S. Annan, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, says the Italian Government has given Ghana Government a grant of €22 million to promote the development and expansion of the private sector under the Ghana Private Sector Development Facility (GPSDF) initiative.

Alhaji Gilbert Seidu Iddi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), says SADA has secured a grant of 15 million dollars from the Department for International Development (DFID) to develop a Millennium Development Village (MDV).

Ms. Emelia Arthur, the Deputy Western Regional Minister, has announced that five District Assemblies in the Western Region have signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the Ghana Local Governance and Decentralization Programme (LOGODEP), to facilitate the mobilization of internally generated revenue.

His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills has requested the United Nations (UN) to keep a close eye on Ghana as he remains strongly committed to ensuring that next year’s General Election is violence-free.

As part of its Global Service Leaders Initiative (GSLI), the Meridian International Centre in partnership with the Washington Parks and DC Green Corps undertook tree planting exercise in Oxon Run Park located at South East Washington DC on December 03, 2011.

Mr. John Dramani Mahama, the Vice President says the School Feeding Pogramme will cover an estimated 1.5 million children, thus more than doubling the 700,000 children, who are on the programme in 2008.

His Excellency Ambassador Ohene Agyekum praised the untiring efforts of Ghana’s hardworking cocoa farmers and government interventions as well as the collaborative efforts of all in the industry that resulted in the attainment of over one million tonnes cocoa output by the country.

Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has unveiled 700 refuse trucks and other equipment, for distribution to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and private waste management contractors throughout the country.

H.E. John Dramani Mahama, Vice-President has launched an ICT programme in Accra which seeks to train 5,000 people living with disabilities (PWDs) in the assembling and repair of mobile phones and computers.

Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) says, government has pledged its commitment to sustain the progress made in fiscal consolidation to support the macroeconomic stability.

Dr. (Mrs.) Linda Vanotoo, the Western Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, says the Ghana Health Services (GHS), in collaboration with UNICEF and other agencies, is distributing a total of 1,360,000 Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLIN) in the Western Region.

Mr. Kwajo Tawiah Likpalimor, a Minister of State at the office of the President, has disclosed that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has released GH¢4 million, under the Mathematics, Science and Technology Scholarship (MASTESS) to take care of 3,543 beneficiaries this academic year.

Mr. Patrick Fine, the Vice President of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), has on behalf of the MCC commended the government for the successfully implementing the projects under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) progrramme in the country.

Hon. Fiifi Kwetey the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) says his Ministry in collaboration with Department for International Development (DFID) has launched a National Policy on Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Accra.

H.E Professor John Evans Atta Mills has visited flood affected areas in Accra to share in their grief of hundreds of people, who were displaced by the floods and console the families of those who perished.

Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has announced that government will create 42 new Districts across the country, with the aim of ensuring the effective management of the affected areas.

Mr. Raphael Yeboah, the Executive Director of the Forestry Services Davison (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC), says government has spent GH¢36 million to put over 27 million seedlings plantation under the new National Forest Plantation Development Programme.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Communication says government has made giant strides in transforming the country into a modern information-rich and knowledge based society in terms of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) development.

Mr Kwabena Adu Amaniampong, Informal Sector Coordinator of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education Training (COTVET), has announced that Government has made available GH¢3.0 million under its National Apprentice Programme (NAP) to train 5,000 Junior High School (JHS) graduates, who did not gain admission to Senior High Schools (SHS) in employable skills, this year.

President John Evans Atta Mills has called on Kofi Annan Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to step up the speed on the implementation of development projects for the benefit of the citizenry.

Mrs. Justice Georgina, Theodora Wood the Chief Justice has announced that the Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation has ranked Ghana’s Judiciary seventh out of 53 countries and fourth in terms of rule of law in its 2010 performance index of African countries.

The Ministry of Education, Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with Insight Foundation, a youth empowerment and development Non-Government Organisation (NGO), is organizing the first National Youth Economic Empowerment Summit (YEES).

Ms Ruby Sandhu-Rajon, United Nations Resident Coordinator says the United Nations (UN) is determined to establish an Information Management Library in Ghana to promote programmes and projects of UN systems.

Dr Said Boakye, Technical Advisor on Macroeconomic, at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP), says MOFEP with support from German Federal Ministry of Development Cooperation, has developed a Macroeconomic Model to enhance economic policy analysis.

President John Atta Mills joined other 45 democratic leaders in the world to launch the Open Government Partnership. Led by the United States of America, the global initiative is to offer more transparent, effective and accountable governments that are alive to the aspirations of their populace. The move has become imperative as more and more citizens demand accountability and democracy from their leaders. The launch was on the sidelines of ongoing 66th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

The fundamental equity story for Ghana remains appealing: the economy is arguably the fastest-growing in the world and fiscal and monetary policy continues to promote a relatively stable backdrop for future growth, the latest African Markets Revealed report by Standard Bank has said.

Many international financial institutions continue to paint a positive outlook for Ghana’s economy, citing improved macro-stability, high commodity prices and the onset of the commercial production of oil.

President John Evans Atta Mills who is in New York in the United States of America for the Sixty Six UN General Assembly has told the World Bank that with the clock of development ticking, his government has no time to waste but to take the desired actions which will accelerate her country’s development.

His Excellencies Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum of Ghana and Ambassador Limbire Kadangha Bariki of Togo were the guests of honour at the formal inauguration ceremony of the E.P Church, USA in Bethesda Maryland on September 11th , 2011.

In his congratulatory message, His Excellency Ambassador Agyekum exhorted Christians to love one another and be each other’s keeper. He observed that “Beyond the dogmas and rituals of religion, we must find our own way to God. When we yearn for God it must be out of the purity of our hearts.” Ambassador Agyekum also stressed of the importance of teaching our children and youth in the Diaspora to appreciate our culture and traditions.

School children from Fukushima Prefecture in Japan which suffered a devastating earthquake have written to thank Ghana and especially, staff and management of Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research of University of Ghana for their solidarity messages and chocolates. The letters of appreciation from the students were presented to Professor Alexander Nyarko, Director of the Institute, by Mr Jiro Inamura, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), at the Institute in Accra.

Mr. George Blankson, the Commissioner-General of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), says the Registrar General’s Department (RGD) and GRA have been electronically networked under the Government of Ghana e- project to undertake on-line business registration, filing of tax returns and payment of taxes.

President John Evans Atta Mills has commended the government and people of Namibia for instituting the Heroes Day to honour her sons and daughters who laid down their lives for the country’s independence struggle. This is because a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for.

Ghana and South Africa has signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), on Cooperation in tourism, economic and technical cooperation co-operation in the field of oil and gas and cooperation in information and communication technology, by the Ministers responsible for these sectors

A loan agreement between government and KfW of Germany, for Seven million Euros for the implementation of the e-Zwich rural branchless banking, which will benefit seven million people, including three million rural inhabitants by 2015, has been passed by Parliament.

This year’s African Partnership Station (APS), an international initiative developed by the United States Naval Forces Africa, which works co-operatively with US and international partners to improve maritime safety and security in Africa, has begun with the arrival of HSV Swift at Sekondi.

A 12 member medical team from the International Health Care Volunteers (IHCV) a non-profit health organization based in New Jersey, USA, has begun a two-week medical outreach programme at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) hospital in Kumasi.

The National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), in collaboration with Asongtaba Cottage Industry and Exchange Programme (ACI&EP), has presented six hundred sewing machines and accessories to beneficiaries who have undergone a six-month intensive training.

Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, says government has earmarked US$175 million for the implementation of the World Bank Local Government Capacity Support Project in Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies in the country.

Professor Kofi Awoonor, the Chairman of the Council of State, has announced that medical experts from the Diaspora and their Ghanaian counterparts have met in Accra for a medical fiesta to share knowledge and experience.

Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, says his Ministry is procuring a set of waste management equipment, valued at $ 10 million from India for distribution to Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies in the country.

Alhaji Collins Dauda, the Minister of Transport, says government has released GH¢285,000 for the construction of a new bailey bridge over the Tano River on the Mehame Dadiesoaba feeder road in the Asutifi District of the Brong Ahafo Region.

Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), has announced that government has released GH¢50 million to the Electoral Commission (EC), for the biometric registration of voters for the 2012 general election.

Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), says the EC has opened tenders for the selection of the company that will undertake the biometric registration of Ghanaians before the 2012 elections.

Ms. Lawrencia Adams Simpson, the Chairman of the Ghanaman Community Reinvestment Trust Fund has presented GH¢69,430 to four organizations to undertake various poverty alleviation programmes, to improve the livelihoods of people living in their areas of operation.

The Forest Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) West Africa Forest Programme have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for €200,000 to promote legal timber trade and strengthen forest governance in the country.

An annual summer Tax school has been introduced by government to strengthen the capacity of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Tax Policy Unit (TPU) of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to develop tax revenue mobilization in Ghana.

Ms. Mary Ann Addo, Director of the Multilateral Division of the External Resource Mobilization of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), says Ghana has started the implementation of an aid policy, to ensure that aid is managed and monitored properly.

Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku, the Asunafo North Municipal Chief Executive, says the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning(MoFEP) has authorized Ministry of Water Resource, Works and Housing to commit GH¢3,443,141.24 for the construction of the Goaso and Mim drainage projects in the Asunafo North District of the Brong Ahafo Region.

Dr. Frankline Manu Amoah, the Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, (CRIG), has announced that Ghana will hit the target of 1,000,000 (one million) metric tonnes of cocoa beans by the end of 2010-2011 cocoa season.

Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the Deputy Minister of Local Government, has disclosed that Government is promoting an initiative called Local Economic Development (LED), to ensure a sustainable national economic growth and development.

Mr. Kwesi Ahwoi, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, says Ghana is embarking on an accelerated modernization and commercialization of agriculture to enable her to become the food basket of West Africa.

Dr. Joyce R. Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, says the mining sub-sector generated and paid GH¢520.00 million in revenue to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in 2010, representing 21% of GRA’s collections in that year.

Mr. Ismail Omer, Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), has presented educational sponsorship packages to 129 school girls from deprived communities in the three Northern regions to ensure that brilliant but needy girls get access to quality education in the country.

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Communication, has launched a two-million dollar Sustainable Water Service Delivery (SWSD) project to assess the functionality and impact of all water points in Afram Plains District.

Mr. Thomas Ayamga, the Upper East Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), has announced that, MoFA under a French government-funded five-year Rice Sector Support Project (RSSP), will cultivate 1,300 hectares of valleys to improve rice production in four districts in the Upper East Region.

Mr. Yakubu Duogu, the Wa Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), says the World Food Programmes (WFP), through its Food for Work project, has supported five communities in the Wa Municipality, in the Upper West Region with food items to repair their dams and dugouts with local labour.

Mr. John Abdulai Jinapor, the Vice President’s Spokesman, has apologized for the mix up in the figures he announced as commitment of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) towards the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).

Vice President, John Dramani Mahama in his brief remarks stated that Ghana was making strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He noted that the prevalence rate which stood at 4 per cent ten year ago had dropped to 1.5 per cent through the efforts of Ghana AIDS Commission and its many stakeholders.

Vice President, John Dramani Mahama is leading a Government delegation to the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS from 8 to 10 June 2011. The session, which marks thirty years into the AIDS epidemic, will review progress and chart the future course of the global AIDS response.

Mr. Baba Jamal, a Deputy Minister of Information, has announced that government is developing a national portal information system to provide relevant information on every sector of the economy to potential investors on the Internet.

Mr. Cudjoe Awudi, the Coordinator of the Forest Preservation Program (FPP), says the government of Japan has provided US$7.8 million grant to the Forestry Commission to undertake a 23-month forest preservation project.

Mr. Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, the Executive Director, of the National Service Scheme (NSS), says 10,000 mini bags of maize will soon be harvested on a 400-acre maize plantation at Komenda in the Central Region, under the National Service Farm Program.

As part of mechanisms to enhance and accelerate trade growth between the United States (US) and the African continent, a press briefing to discuss the 2011 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum has been held.

Nana Owusu-Afari, President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and Nana Appiah-Agyei Dankawoso, Second Vice-President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), have jointly launched a National Industrial Policy (NIP), to stimulate private sector led growth of the economy.

Ghana’s cocoa production at the end of the main 2010/11 crop season provisionally stands at 903,646 metric tons; the highest since the country registered its name on the international market as a producer of cocoa, according to the Ghana Cocoa Board, (COCOBOD).

Ms Hannah Tetteh Minister of Trade and Industry says H.E Professor John Atta Mills, the President, has ordered the Ministry of Finance to release $25 million to the Savannah (SADA), to carry out its development program.

Dr. Benjamin Kunbour, Minister of the Interior, has expressed government’s commitment to the ideals and principles of the African Union (AU), as enshrined in the Constitutive Act, towards improving the standard of living of African people.

Mr. Joe Gidisu, Minister of Roads and Highway, has announced that Government has released $320 million for the reconstruction of a road network in the Western Region, under the Western corridor road network project.

H.E. John Dramani Mahama, the Vice-President, says the local poultry industry has been given a major boost following government’s decision to establish a poultry support programme, which seeks to revamp the sector.

The Embassy of Ghana bustled with various activities during an Open House Embassy Tour on Saturday, May 14, 2011 as throngs of people poured into the Chancery to experience and explore Ghana’s rich, intriguing and vast culture as well as to sample scrumptious Ghanaian cuisines.

On Friday, May 13, 2011, His Excellency Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana to the United States of America, visited the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell in celebration of Kosmos Energy’s Initial Public Offering (IPO). Kosmos Energy began trading on May 11, 2011, under the ticker symbol “KOS” after raising $594 million in gross proceeds.

A statement issued by the Ghana Embassy in Bamako, Mali, says the Embassy in conjunction with the Association of Ghana Industries has held a nine-day Solo Trade Exhibition of made-in-Ghana products in Bamako.

Mr. Ebow Haizel-Furguson, the Director of Sigma-Base Technical Services (Ghana) Limited, an indigenous oil and gas service provider in Takoradi, says the Company has trained about 900 youth from the Western Region and its environs under the Sigma-Base Oil and Gas Skills Training Programme.

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Hannah Tetteh, at the fourth dialogue series of the National Policy Fair has said the dialogue session on the topic “Assessing Ghana’s Path to industrialization – Governments Intervention So Far” is critical to understanding Ghana’s path to economic development.

As part of the programmes lined up for the second policy fair a dialogue session which focused on the coordinated programme of economic and social development policies 2010 through to 2016 has been organised.

The Vice-President, John Dramani Mahama, has said that the Ghana Policy Fair provides an opportunity to showcase the performance and achievement of government and to demystify governance and make it more relevant to the Ghanaian.

Naa Prof. J.S. Nabila, Wulugu-Naba and President of the National House of Chiefs, has launched the Ascertainment and Codification of Customary Law Project (ACLP), a publication on the pilot phase of the project on customary, family and land laws.

The Neuro-Surgery Department of Korle–Bu Teaching Hospital yesterday took delivery of a state-of-the-art Surgical Table, accessories and biopsy equipment valued at 30,000 dollars from the Accra West Rotary Club.

Mr. Abu Kasanbata, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Nadowli has announced that, the United States of America has provided US$1.5 million for the construction of a 7.5 Kilometer road to link the Wa East and Nadowli Districts to help promote economic activities of peasant farmers in the area.

Mrs. Ama Benyiwa-Doe, the Central Regional Minister, says government has constructed two six-unit classroom blocks at the cost of Gh¢520,000 for the Jukwa and Aburaman Senior High Schools in the Twifo-Hemang-Lower-Denkyira and Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese districts respectively, in the Central Region.

Mrs. Effie Simpson Ekuban, Chief Director of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, has announced that government is supporting the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to review and amend its law suit the changing financial landscape.

Hon. John Tia Akologu, the Minister of Information has launched the second National Policy Fair, which is scheduled to take place at the Accra International Conference Centre from Tuesday, 26th to Saturday, 30th April, 2011.

Mr. Samuel Arku-Kelly, the Afram Basin Zonal Agriculture Manager of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), says construction works on two landing bays at Ekye Amanfrom and Adawso in the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains) in the Eastern Region is progressing steadily.

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Communications, has announced that Ghana will start operating telephone number portability from July, this year since the legal regime to regulate and ensure smooth operationalisation of the system by all mobile telecommunication operators have been completed.

Mr. Alex Bernasko, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF), says EDIF approved GH¢7 million to operators in the export sector to enhance their business activities between January and March, this year.

Ms. Hannah Tetteh, the Minister of Trade and Industry (MOTI), has announced that a new Electronic Import Declaration Form has been introduced to replace the manual ones currently in use to help streamline import management process and facilitate the speedy clearance of goods through customs.

Ms. Cheryl Anderson, the Ghana Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), says USAID will contribute US$400 million towards the implementation of the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC) Phase II.

Mr. Mahama Ayariga, a Deputy Minister of Education in-charge of Tertiary Education, says government has secured US$80 million to improve infrastructure in Polytechnics, Vocational and Technical institutions in the country.

President John Evans Atta Mills has cut the sod for work to begin on the 34.2- kilometre-Berekum-Nsawkaw road project to facilitate easy transportation of people and goods from the rural communities to the urban centres in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The Dean of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) School of Medical Sciences, Professor Harold Amonoo Kwofie, has lauded the decision by the Cuban Government to post specialists and medical doctors to teach at the School.

Mr. Thomas Manu, the Director of Exploration and Production at the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) says the corporation will begin a major onshore oil production in the Volta Basin this year.

Ms. Sherry Ayittey, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), has announced that a $1.75 million Green Technology Park for the manufacture of biodegradable plastic and other packaging products will be set up at Pomadze in the Central Region.

Mr. Michael Agyemang, Chief Public Relations Manager of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), says a new water treatment plant will be constructed at Kpong, to produce an additional 40 million gallons of water to meet the current demand of in Accra and Tema.

The Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI), in collaboration with Goodwill Consulting Group and African Gulf Petroleum, is organising training for Five thousand youth employed in the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), to undertake various courses in the oil and gas industry.

After three months of reactivation, the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) is on course towards reviving the aluminium industry in the short-term and the national goal of developing an integrated aluminium project in the long–term.

West African Ministers of Infrastructure, Transport and Energy, has endorsed the provisions of a draft Supplementary Act stipulating the axle load standards for heavy duty goods transport vehicles plying public roads in the sub-region.

A Parliamentary committee debating matrixes of the proposed amendments to the 1992 constitution resolved that a sitting President who defects from the political party on whose ticket he won elections should automatically vacate office.

Management of the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra has announced that the facility will be ready for use by May 15, this year to help contribute its quota to the hospitality industry in the country.

The Diaspora Consultation, in Washington, DC Metropolis, gave opportunity to the Ghanaian Community to discuss the operation of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution, particularly its strengths, and weaknesses and to make submissions for possible amendments to the Constitution.

Mr. J. S. Annan, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, has announced that government has approved a new industrial policy which focuses on production, distribution, technology and innovation of locally manufactured products for the country.

President John Evans Atta Mills has launched a ‘White Gold Campaign’ a special initiative to promote cotton production in the three northern regions, as part of government’s efforts to revive large scale production of cotton in the country.

President John Evans Atta Mills has cut sod for the commencement of work on a GH¢3 million auditorium for the University for Development Studies (UDS) Navrongo campus, rehabilitation of the Vea Water Treatment Plant and the expansion of Vea Dam wall .

Mr. Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, the First Vice-President of the Councils of Cuba, says the Cuban government is offering to assist Ghana train 250 specialist doctors to improve the capacity of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

Parliament has passed the Basic National Social Security Scheme Regulation, 2011 and the Occupational and Personal Pension Scheme (General) Regulations 2011 to regulate the management of social security and pensions in the country.

Mr. Tom Crowards, acting Deputy Director for the Department for International Development (DFID), has announced that UKaid has increased its development assistance to Ghana from €85 million in 2011 to €100 million by the year 2015.

Ms. Rejoice Tettey, Assistant Public Relations Officer of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), says the board will establish 14 additional Business Advisory Centres (BACs) by the end of 2011 to assist small and micro enterprises.

Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon (UG), has announced that UG has restructured its undergraduate programmes in Humanities and Sciences, with many new courses and programmes introduced, as well revision of existing ones.

Nana Boakye Asafu-Adjaye, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), says the sale of 995,259 barrels of crude oil lifted by GNPC, from the Jubilee Fields will yield at least $110 million.

Hon. Enoch T. Mensah, the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, has launched a cocoa enhancement project through the use of mobile phones in order to improve the livelihood of some 100,000 cocoa farmers in the country over the next three years.

The Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC) is set to lift the first crude oil from the Jubilee Field on behalf of the government this week, following the successful lifting of the crude by the other Jubilee partners.

Mr. Xie Dahu, the Country Director of China International Water and Electricity Corporation, has donated GH¢20,000 for the construction of a two-unit semi-detached teachers’ quarters at Saviefe-Gbogame in the Ho West District of the Volta Region.

Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the Deputy Minister of Local Government, says the Ahanta West District Assembly is collaborating with the Korean International Co-operation Agency (KOICA), to undertake the second phase of the Strategic Action Land Development (SALD) plan, to create about 20,000 to 30,000 jobs in five years time.

The Petroleum Revenue Management Bill (PRMB) has been passed by Parliament to provide a legal framework for the management of revenue from the country’s oil find with key features being the establishment of the Ghana Heritage Fund and the Ghana Stabilisation Fund.

Mr. Daniel Graymore, acting Country Director of the United Kingdom (UK) Department of International Development (DFID), has announced that UK has assisted Ghana with £3745-million in support of the country’s development initiatives for the next four years.

H. E. President John Evans Atta Mills has reiterated Ghana’s commitment towards ensuring peace in Africa through dialogue and the strengthening of institutions responsible for the integration of the continent.

Understudying the ways in which business is done in the US and how to improve business operations in Ghana, was the focus of 30 MBA students and faculty members fro GIMPA on a two week study tour in U.S.A.

Mr. Jabesh Amissah-Arthur, the Chief Executive Officer of Bui Power Authority, has announced that the Bui Hydro-electric Project will be ready to provide additional power to the national grid by next year.

Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, says government has provided tool kits and also paid for one year apprenticeship for 5,000 Junior High School (JHS) leavers countrywide, under the national apprenticeship programme.

H.E. John Dramani Mahama, the Vice President, has presented 85 buses to selected Senior High Schools (SHS) countrywide and 50 pick ups to some Heads of the second cycle institutions, to improve the mobility of students of the beneficiary schools and also facilitate effective academic activities.

Mr. Appiah Donyina, the Director of Exports at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), says government has acquired 20,000 acres of land for the cultivation of mangoes in the three Northern Regions.

Mr. Mike Hammah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, says government will give a major boost to the salt industry to maintain a competitive advantage in its production, as a result of the numerous natural salt sites along the country’s coastal lines.

H.E. Prof. John Evans Atta Mills has assured Ghanaians of government’s commitment to restoring the economy to good health, improve living conditions, rehabilitate and expand infrastructure and strengthen democratic institutions and practice.

H.E. Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, the President of Ghana, has announced that the 30 percent policy used in selecting first-year Senior High School (SHS) students from within a 10-mile radius of schools will be reinstated from the 2011/12 academic year.

Ms. Hanna Tetteh, the Minister of Trade and Industry, has launched a GH¢1,316,800 re-engineering action plan on behalf of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC), to enable it tackle issues on gender equality and women’s right more effectively.

Mrs. Christie E. Bobobee, the Administrator of Stool Lands, has announced that the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL), has secured a $50-million grant from the World Bank, to implement the second phase of the Land Administration Project (LAP).

Prof. Daniel Nyarko, the Rector of Takoradi Polytechnic, has announced that the Polytechnic has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the University of Derby in the United Kingdom, to begin a Masters programme in Electrical Engineering.

H.E Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, the President of Ghana, has nominated Mr. Kojo Fynn as the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), in consultation with the Council of State, to replace Mr. Magnus Nicol.

Tullow Oil Plc (Tullow) has announced the discovery of oil at its Teak-1 exploration well in the West Cape Three Points, license offshore, approximately 73 metres of net hydrocarbons in two Campanian and three Turonian-aged reservoirs.

The Ghana Cricket Association (GCA) has inaugurated a seven-member Local Organising Committee (LOC), to plan Ghana’s hosting of this year’s International Cricket Division 3 Tournament scheduled for February 23 to 28, 2011 at the Achimota Oval.

Major Albert Don-Chebe (retd), Director of Community and Public Outreach of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), says part of Ghana’s $547 million compact under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), will be used to provide potable water for some parts of the Northern Region.

Mr. Eric Opoku, the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, says the Ministries of Communication and Education are collaborating to provide Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to all Colleges of Education in the country.

Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh, the Minster of Health, says government has secured a $13.5 million loan from Badea and Ofid, an Arab firm to expand the radiotherapy facilities at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Mr. James Kofi Fonu, the Deputy National Coordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation, says government is introducing measures to ensure that interns of NYEP secure permanent jobs in various establishments.

Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Information, says President John Atta Mills will cut sod for commencement of work on the Universities of Health and Allied Sciences and University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ho and Sunyani, respectively.

Development experts from the National Development Planning Commission, the Town and Country Planning Department and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) are meeting to develop a national urban policy to guide the planning and development of urban areas in the country.

Mr. Daniel G. Muomaalah, the Western Regional Manager of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), says the company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese Company, to expand the Daboase Water Supply System in the Wassa Mpohor East District of the Western Region.

Ms. Sherry Ayittey, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, has announced that, her Ministry will totally support the ongoing reforms in the land use planning system under the land administration project.

The Japanese International Cooperation Organization (JICA) has presented training materials for developing human resource capacity for Senior Photo Voltage (PV) dissemination in Ghana, to the Ministry of Energy to develop the PV Industry in the country.

Mr. Amos Owusu Boateng, the Country Director of Inland Ghana Mines Ltd, a mineral exploration company, says geochemical exploration done in the Northern Region has revealed large quantities of iron ore deposits at Shieni and other locations in the area.

Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has inaugurated a Biometric Passport Application Centre at Takoradi to facilitate the process of acquiring the new modified biometric passport by the people in the Western Region.

Mr. Francis Yaw Gark, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), says the agency has provided potable water to about 50 percent of the country and plans to increase supply to more communities country-wide.

H.E. President John Evans Atta Mills has cut sod for commencement of work on 30,000 housing units for security agencies as part of measures to provide decent accommodation for more than 70 percent of Ghanaians who cannot afford to buy or build their own houses.

Mr. Albert Brown Gaisie, acting Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), says plans are underway to set up a marine fire unit to team up with the Ghana Navy, to fight possible occurrence of fire in the country’s oil field.

Mr. Daniel Graymore, the Acting Country Director of the Department for International Development (DFID), has announced that the UK government will give Ghana £36 million of UKaid, from the Department for International Development (DFID), to support the country’s budget.

Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, a Deputy Minister of Energy, has announced that Spain has provided a grant of €5 million to government for the supply and installation of solar systems for schools, hospitals and security outposts in remote communities.

The Fisheries Commission has received a grant of $85,130, from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), under its Technical Co-operation Programme (TCP), to implement an aqua-culture strategic framework.

Mr. Mike Hammah, the out-going Minister of Transport, has inaugurated a 20-member steering committee, for the rehabilitation of the Western Railway Lines to provide efficient transport service towards the economic development of the country.

H.E. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, the Vice-President, will cut the sod for work to commence on the first phase of road projects for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) programme in Accra on Wednesday, February 2, 2011.